How to Support Your Student-Athlete’s Mental Health

Taking part in sports can bring students many health benefits. But it’s also common for kids playing sports to have mental health challenges.

Sports competition, along with other stressors like school and social pressures, can add to a student-athlete’s mental health burden. Many student-athletes report raised levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. These challenges can sometimes lead to risky, dangerous behaviors.

As a parent or guardian, you can help improve your student-athlete’s mental health. You can help them develop habits that support their mental health and notice when your child may need help.

How Common Are Mental Health Challenges in Student-Athletes?

Mental health burdens are very common among student-athletes, from youth sports through college.

Student-athletes face unique challenges beyond sports stress and pressure to perform. They often have to deal with pressure from schoolwork and social pressures as well. Combined, these triggers can put a lot of strain on a student-athlete.

Recent studies have highlighted the scope of the problem.

A 2023 NCAA study found that 29% of women’s sports participants and 9% of men’s sports participants experienced overwhelming anxiety constantly or most every day during the previous month. The study used data collected during the 2022–2023 academic year.

In addition, a 2023 study in Health Psychology Research surveyed 200 high school athletes ages 16–17. About 91% reported sports-related stress, with 58% reporting moderate to extreme stress.

What Causes Mental Health Strain in Student-Athletes?

Many factors can cause student-athletes to face mental health challenges:

• Academics — Student-athletes bear the weight of both their student and athlete roles. Balancing academics and sports can cause stress, anxiety, and other challenges.

• Body image — Many sports carry an external or internal expectation of what an athlete in that sport “should look like.” The pressure of that expectation can cause mental strain among student-athletes.

• Injuries — Young athletes recovering from an injury may fear another injury or feel unsure about returning to play. A 2023 systematic review in Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine linked muscle, bone, and joint injuries with poorer mental health. Young athletes whose sense of self depended heavily on their sport were more likely to have depressive symptoms after injury.

• Parental, coach, or peer pressure — Student-athletes can feel pressure to perform up to the expectations of others. That can be parents, coaches, or even teammates and classmates. That external pressure, whether real or imagined, can lead to mental strain.

• Perfectionism — Worrying about mistakes or falling short of expectations can weigh on athletes. A 2026 study in Performance Enhancement & Health linked perfectionistic concerns with greater mental distress and shame among competitive athletes. Setting high personal standards alone did not show the same pattern.

• Social media — Seeing other athletes’ highlights can make student-athletes feel they don’t measure up. They may also face negative comments about their performance or pressure to maintain a certain image online.

• Sport specialization — More athletes are beginning to specialize in one sport as children and teens. Specializing in one sport, especially at a young age, can put student-athletes at higher risk for injuries and mental strain.

What Are the Complications of Mental Strain in Student-Athletes?

Mental health challenges can lead to potentially dangerous consequences in student-athletes, such as:

• Academic problems.

• Burnout.

• Eating disorders.

• Low self-esteem.

• Mental fatigue.

• Overtraining and injuries.

• Poor athletic performance.

• Sleep disorders.

• Social withdrawal or loneliness.

• Substance use.

• Suicidal thoughts and suicide.

What Are the Signs of Mental Health Strain in Student-Athletes?

There may be many different warning signs that your student-athlete is experiencing mental health challenges, including:

• Academic struggles.

• Agitation, irritation, or anger.

• Changes in eating habits.

• Changes in sleeping habits.

• Drug or alcohol use.

• Excessive worry over their performance or an upcoming game.

• Mood changes.

• Obsession over body appearance.

• Overtraining.

• Overwhelming sadness.

• Signs of self-harm.

• Unexplained weight loss or gain.

• Withdrawal from team or social activities.

Watch for changes in your student-athlete’s behavior. If something seems off, seek help.

How Can You Support Your Student-Athlete’s Mental Health?

If you’re a student-athlete’s parent or guardian, you can do a lot to support their mental health. Communication and awareness are key.

Here are some tips.

Talk to them about mental health

Talk openly with your student-athlete about mental health. Encourage them to make their mental health a priority. Let them know you’re available to listen.

Keep checking in

Keep checking in with your child to see how they’re feeling. If they’re struggling with something, validate their feelings and talk through solutions.

Your child may be anxious or uncomfortable approaching you about what they’re feeling. Taking the initiative yourself can remove that hurdle.

If your child is resistant to talking, don’t push them. Sometimes, it helps to check back later.

Be encouraging

Student-athletes often feel pressure to succeed in sports. Avoid adding to that pressure when you talk to them. Be encouraging, not critical.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation™ recommends using phrases like “Do your best out there” or “We believe in you.” Avoid using phrases like “Don’t quit” or “Your team is depending on you.” These can have negative connotations.

When you’re looking for ways to talk to your youth or teen athlete after a tough game, focus on the positives of their performance. Let them know you’re proud of them.

Encouragement is also important when you’re helping a student-athlete cope emotionally with an injury or other setbacks. Encourage them to follow their doctor’s recovery timeline and care for their mental and physical health. Let them know you’re there for them if they need you.

Establish healthy routines

Healthy routines can support your student-athlete’s athletic performance and mental health.

Encourage a balanced diet with fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy.

It’s also important for student-athletes to get adequate sleep and give themselves recovery time between games, gym sessions, and practices.

Sleep and recovery tips for busy student-athletes include:

• Getting enough sleep at night — Sleep is important to repair wear and tear on the body. The Sleep Foundation recommends that teens ages 13 to 18 should sleep eight to 10 hours per night. Children ages 6 to 12 should sleep nine to 12 hours.

• Taking rest days — Overtraining can lead to overuse injuries. Rest days are critical to allow the body to repair itself.

Healthy routines like diet, rest, and recovery are crucial for your student-athlete’s physical and mental health. Studies have linked poor sleep to many mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.

Encourage mindfulness

Mindfulness is a form of meditation that focuses on being present in the moment. The practice of mindfulness may help your student-athlete’s physical and mental health both inside and outside of competition.

A 2024 study in Sports Health followed 21 female Division I college athletes. The study linked mindfulness practice with better mood, energy, muscle readiness, and readiness to train. They also found that mindfulness training seemed to reduce the likelihood of an acute injury the following day.

Avoid early sports specialization

Sports specialization involves focusing on one sport year-round. It often involves intense training in one sport and excluding other sports.

The National Federation of State High School Associations says sport specialization is especially a concern if it happens in children ages 12 and younger.

Overtraining in one sport can lead to overuse injuries. It can also cause burnout. A student-athlete may choose to stop participating in sports altogether.

Encouraging your child to take part in multiple sports can help them build different skills. It can also help prevent burnout. Helping them to develop other hobbies outside sports is also key.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association offers these recommendations for young athletes:

• Avoid early sports specialization.

• Don’t play any sport for more than eight months of the year.

• Don’t play for more than one team at a time in the same sport.

• Limit your total hours of organized sports each week to your age in years.

• Rest for at least two days per week.

• Take time away from organized sports at the end of every competitive season.

Watch for warning signs

It’s not always obvious to see when someone is facing mental health challenges. But it’s important to watch out for any changes in your child’s behavior or actions. They may be warning signs that something isn’t right.

You may also want to touch base every so often with your student-athlete’s teachers. They may be able to let you know if they’ve noticed anything amiss.

Seek help

If you get the sense that your student-athlete is experiencing mental health struggles, don’t hesitate to seek help from others. Maybe they feel most comfortable discussing their issues with a school counselor or their coach. Or maybe you can seek out a professional therapist.

Either way, it’s important for your child to get what they need.

Seek help if you notice any of the following:

• Eating disorders.

• Overtraining.

• Self-harm.

• Substance use.

• Suicidal thoughts or actions.

For mental health crisis support, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also talk to your child’s medical provider about a referral to a mental health specialist.