Mental health problems are common, with 18.5% of the US population suffering from a mental health illness in a given year, however, only 41% of people with a mental health illness use mental health services each year. The stigma associated with mental health illness often leads to a fear of embarrassment and feeling of shame that serves as a powerful deterrent to someone seeking help. With the appropriate interventions, the majority of mental health problems will improve. However, due to stigma treatment is typically delayed on average by five years. One way to work to decrease the stigma associated with mental health problems is to…

Mental health problems are common in the United States, with 6.8% of the adult population and 12.8% of the adolescent population experiencing a major depressive episode in any given year. Although there are many documented benefits of sports participation, athletes are not immune to these mental health problems. Increased time demand, the pressure to perform, pain and injury can often place the athlete at risk for developing a mental health challenge or illness. The majority of athletic trainers (77%) report having experience with patients with mood disorders, however athletic trainers also report feeling underprepared to handle mental health situations. Additionally, while many athletic trainers report recognizing signs of…