Experts I spoke with for this story pointed to a couple of reasons professional athletes are particularly susceptible to mental health issues.
Scott Goldman, president-elect of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, told me it’s hard for fans to understand what it’s like to constantly be in the spotlight. He recalled watching a pro football player prepare to run onto the field and wonder aloud whether anyone else in the building had people howling at them when they went to work.
: “We are living in a time of anxiety. I think it’s a direct result of social media. A lot of players are unhappy.”designed to help players cultivate mental wellness. Beyond compassion, the efforts make business sense: Happier players lead to better-performing players, which leads to more wins.