Extensive media coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the emergence of sports medicine as a subspecialty reflect elite athletes' important societal roles. While the optimization of athletes' physical performance is a priority, their mental health is largely ignored. Psychiatric studies of competitive athletes are nonexistent in the United States and are limited worldwide, despite risks to athletes that include sleep disruption, travel, low autonomy, and performance demands (1-3). Physicians are biased toward athletes' mental well-being (3, 4); moreover, athlete help-seeking is stigmatized (4).
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Cromer et al. (2017) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: