There is a crisis facing elite athletes that is hidden in plain sight. The crisis is one of mental health. More recently, high profile athletes like Michael Phelps have been vocal about the depression they have faced during their careers. Many more athletes stay silent, or even worse, ignore their symptoms.
I’ve talked at length about the mental health challenges that face high level athletes. While I’m well read about these topics, I’m no expert, and wanted to get a professional perspective.
I spoke with Dr. Ryan Davis to learn more details about the mental health landscape facing elite athletes. He is a Harvard-trained, Board-certified psychiatrist in Child, Adolescent, And Adult Psychiatry. As the founder of the Mind Health Institute in Beverly Hills, he leads a multidisciplinary mental health practice focused on providing comprehensive, personalized care. He has expertise in both psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. What is special about Dr. Davis is that he also works with elite athletes and business executives as a performance coach. He is the perfect person to talk about mental health in high level athletes because understands them intimately.
In this episode, he goes in-depth into the mental health for elite athletes and shares his wealth of knowledge on improving mental resilience, achieving peak performance, and creating more purposeful, balanced lives.
Timestamps
- 00:00:00 Intro
- 00:01:45 Psychiatry vs Psychology
- 00:08:55 Process for Intake
- 00:11:38 ADHD in Athletes
- 00:16:23 ADHD Treatments in Athletes
- 00:17:55 Feedback Loops
- 00:19:56 The Pain Cycle
- 00:22:31 Burnout
- 00:28:52 Toxic Habits
- 00:31:43 Signs You Should Seek Help
- 00:35:25 The Mental Health Stigma
- 00:37:25 Injuries and Mental Health
- 00:45:11 Retirement
- 00:51:54 Icarus
- 00:53:13 Having a Team
- 00:56:22 Anxiety in Athletes
- 01:03:47 Actionable Items
- 01:06:23 Mindfulness Practice
- 01:11:09 Yips
- 01:12:48 Solving problems and getting ahead
- 01:16:37 Sleep
Links and resources
Ryan’s Links
- https://www.capeperformance.com/
- https://www.mhi-bh.com/
Other Links
- Stolen Focus Book: https://amzn.to/3DTbceo
Affiliates
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