Mental Health…Lets Talk About It (6 of 6)
You’ve worked hard, sacrificed countless hours, and are at the top of your game. If you’re not at the top, then you are paying your dues, putting in your time, and your moment of glory is just around the corner. So why the series about “Mental Health” 
issues with athletes when you think you’ve obviously “got it made?” At some point, Shelley Beattie, Chris Benoit, Alexis Arguello, and Terry Long “had it made”. They looked the part, played the part, got paid for the part….and ultimately took their own lives. So why address mental health issues with athletes? I don’t care how famous, fine, fast, fit, fabulous, or freakishly big you think you may be. Without an awareness of your mental state or the capacity to manage cognitive changes in a healthy manner, ANYONE is fair game to succumbing to mental health issues. It doesn’t have to be suicide, which is obviously after an illness has progressed for an extended period of time. It can start out with Binge eating, lead to Body Dysmorphic Disorder, cause Depression, and continually spiral out of control. If nothing else, I hope someone was able to gain insight from this week long segment and use it to educate and help themselves or others.
As athletes, the world thinks we are invincible and at times we may even think that. But when reality sets in how do we deal with it? We must remember we are humans capable of victory and defeat; success and failure. It is when we neglect to understand the emotional vacillation that successes and failures bring that we often experience the most traumatic mental setbacks. Help is always available. If you need it please ask for it.
Below is a list of well known athletes from various sports who have committed suicide:
Alexis Arguello (boxing) July ‘09
Shelley Beattie (bodybuilding) Feb’ 08
Chris Benoit (wrestling) June ‘07
Terry Long (football) June ‘05
Von Erich family (wrestling) Mike ’97, Chris ’91, Kerry ‘93
Donny Moore (baseball) July ‘89
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