Suicide Prevention Month: Shedding light on mental health and sports

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS/ WEBSITE

September is Suicide Prevention Month. This month is meant to shed light on one of the leading causes of death across all age groups. Within the past few years topics around mental health and suicide have made its way into the sports community. 

According to the World Health Organization over 720,000 people die by suicide each year. It is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15-29. For many this is a hard and uncomfortable topic to talk about, but it is an important one. 

A prominent name that often gets brought up in the sports world when talking about suicide is Rick Rypien. He was a former Vancouver Canucks player and had signed with the Winnipeg Jets before his death. 

It was noted that Rypien had struggled with depression for many years before he tragically took his life. Many fans questioned how this could happen and how athletes could be better supported at the professional level.

The National Hockey League (NHL) has the Player Assistance Program that has been in place since 1996. However, it wasn’t until the past few years that there has been an increase in use for players who have been struggling with their mental health. 

Players entering the program are not required to release information as to why they are seeking assistance, but it is often noted that they are stepping away from their teams for an undisclosed amount of time to work with this program. 

Programs like these are incredibly important to athletes in the professional world. The teams in these programs specialize working with high preforming athletes who may be dealing with a variety of different issues, one of which could be suicidal ideation. 

Though there are programs in place for many professional athletes the NHL is the first one to have a program where players can seek out care, and it is promoted publicly. 

This past year the Australian Football League tragically lost two important members of their community to suicide. Twin brothers Adam and Troy Selwood. These two passings caused incredible heartbreak across the AFL and sports world. 

However, it is not only the high performing athletes that face these issues. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has also seen up and coming athletes tragically take their lives. One such athlete was college football player Kyren Lacy. Sadly, his is not the only story like this. 

Athletes in the sports world are not the only ones affected by this either. This past year ESPN sports science analysis John Brenkus took his own life.  

When a tragedy like this occurs it is often questioned why they would do it? Or what could have been done to stop it. Most of the time we will never know the answers, and there was nothing that could have been done. 

The most important thing that can be done for those who are struggling is to have access to support. To have people around them to remind them that they are not a burden or alone. 

It is important to talk about this issue, to bring light to it, to stop making it an isolating and taboo topic. The more open we are with conversations, the more people will feel like they can ask for help. 

Within the world of sports it is important for people of every level of the community to feel supported physically, mentally and emotionally. If we can create a safe space where people feel comfortable and safe speaking out about their mental health struggles, there can be great changes made. 

The world of professional sports is intense, and can be extremely competitive and isolating. Player assistance programs are incredibly important at all levels of athletics from high school, to the minor divisions and leagues to the professional level. 

There are many organizations and companies that are spreading resources throughout this month on how best to support those who may be struggling. To Write Love On Her Arms is one organization that focuses on mental health education and awareness. They have links to a number of hotlines and resources within different communities world wide. 

In Canada, if you or someone you know are struggling you can call or text 9-8-8, 24 hours a day to receive support. You are not alone in your struggle.