Sport, fame, money and pressure a cocktail for mental illness

...."Over the years there`s many untold stories," Enoka says. "It`s not our place to expose those, but there`s times you can just walk away and nod to yourself and say well that`s made a difference, that`s helping.

"There`s that perception that if you suffer mental issues then that is a sign you are sort of weak. We are trying to actually strongly encourage our people to talk about vulnerabilities as a strength rather than a weakness. By in large people still view it as a weakness if you have an issue that is mental health and not a physical one."....

.....A 2014 study from the journal of science and medicine of sport surveyed 224 elite Australian athletes and found 46.4 per cent were experiencing symptoms of at least one mental health problem. These included depression (27.2 per cent), eating disorders (22.8 per cent), general psychological distress (16.5 per cent), social anxiety (14.7 per cent), anxiety (7.1 per cent) and panic disorder (4.5 per cent). Injured athletes had higher levels of depression and anxiety......

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Bethany`s Notes: An article from New Zealand and how coaches are trying to create a more welcoming environment for those to discuss any mental health concerns. In addition, last year they created an initiative called HeadFirst which allows athletes to share their struggles.