0 Seeing Stars is a Serious Deal - Sports-Related Concussions

By Claudia L. Reardon, M.D.

Concussions in athletes have received increased media attention recently.  More and more evidence shows that there can be serious short- and long-term consequences of concussions if athletes return to physical activity too soon.  A concussion is a brain injury and must be treated very seriously. 

How do you know if someone has sustained a concussion?  Signs and symptoms of a concussion after an athlete hits his/her head include:

• Headache


• Nausea/vomiting


• Dizziness


• Vision changes


• Sensitivity to light and sound


• Feeling confused or groggy


• Concentration difficulties


• Inability to remember events before or after the hit


• Mood, behavior, or personality changes

Importantly, most athletes with concussions won’t experience all of these signs and symptoms.  Some of them might not appear for hours or even days.  If you, a coach, a game official, or medical provider suspect a concussion, take the following steps:

• Remove the athlete from the game/practice immediately.


• Seek medical attention.


• Do not return to physical activity until cleared by a physician.  Returning to activity too soon can cause long-term physical and psychiatric problems and even death.


• When returning to play, do so gradually, under the guidance of your health care provider.

Sports participation has many positive physical and mental health benefits for children and adults alike.  In the spirit of competition, athletes and coaches often want to do everything they can to win.  However, if a concussion is suspected, it is not worth it to risk long-term brain damage to stay in the game to help the team.   

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0 Concussion: Getting Back in the Game?

American Psychiatric Association Healthy Minds blogger and sports psychiatriy expert Claudia Reardon, M.D., discusses concussions in young athletes in this video blog:

Detail: Concussion: Getting Back in the Game?

0 Athletes Suffer from Depression Too

By Claudia L. Reardon, M.D.

Athletes don’t get depressed, right? After all, they are so physically fit and healthy that they must be equally emotionally healthy. Unfortunately, this is not true. Just like the rest of us, athletes can be at risk for depression. This is the case all the way from the school-aged child playing on a recreational team, up to the professional athlete who makes a living playing his or her sport.



Whenever we see a news story about a famous athlete with depression or an athlete who has committed suicide, it tends to come as a big surprise since athletes tend to be glamorized and admired in our society. However, here are some things we know about the reality of depression in athletes:



1. Athletes seem to be at least as likely as the general population to suffer from depression.

2. Athletes who suffer multiple concussions are up to four times as likely as other athletes to suffer depression. Athletes in some sports, including football, hockey, and soccer, are especially likely to suffer concussions.



3. Overtraining syndrome can occur in athletes who are seriously training for an event and do so beyond the body’s ability to recover. Overtraining can look very similar to depression and can actually lead to full-blown depression. Like depression, overtraining can include fatigue, insomnia, appetite change, weight loss, difficulties with motivation, and poor concentration. Overtrained athletes usually notice that their sports performance worsens. They may develop more injuries; experience muscle and joint pain, and lose enthusiasm for their sport. If an athlete is overtrained, the treatment is usually to cut back on physical activity or do cross training at a lower intensity until the symptoms start to improve. If overtraining leads to full-blown depression, medication and/or talk therapy may also be helpful.



4. Besides concussions and overtraining, other common factors that can lead to depression in athletes include injuries, competitive failure, aging, retirement from sport, and the same daily stressors that can lead to depression in the general population.



5. In recent years, athletes across several sports have started to open up about their struggles with depression. Hopefully this will help athletes with depression to feel better about seeking help for this disorder.

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