The big change from home and high school to life as college students can begin to gather pressures for young people.

Academic and personal challenges can come from separation from friends and family. There is often an issue with mental health that can appear.

It may reveal itself with a form of intense anxiety prior to a test or competition.

While students and student-athletes are equally affected, the competitive environment has brought an attitude that makes some hide their problems.

Rather than speaking with someone or seeking help, some athletes believe they should tough it out.

As for me, being a student athlete in high school made me realize that in the more competitive games or during the “rival” games, had a way of forcing people to hide their emotions and only feeling like winning is the only option.

With all this being said, stress and anxiety may sometimes come from wanting to succeed and living up to expectations. You want to always perform your best, right?

It’s more common than you think to be too hard on yourself when you don’t necessarily meet those expectations, or you don’t perform the way you anticipated.

There is nothing wrong with wanting the best for yourself. But there’s no need to be so hard on yourself that it causes you to have poor mental health.

https://www.nytimes.com/paidpost/ncaa/for-student-athletes-mental-health.html

https://btn.com/2015/05/11/btn-livebig-wolverines-team-up-to-support-fellow-student-athletes-mental-health/

Don’t let your pride stop you from getting the help you need!