Athlete Burnout
Most of us have heard of burnout, defined by the American Psychological Association as “physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others.” Common sources of burnout include but are not limited to hustle culture, work, academics, mental load and limited social support.
A less commonly talked about but equally as detrimental and frequently experienced phenomenon is athlete burnout, which encompasses physical and emotional stress as a result of continuous, increased or over-training. For youth athletes, athlete burnout can also be influenced by hormonal, physical and psychological changes. Common risk factors for athlete burnout include but are not limited to low self-esteem, high anxiety and perfectionism, one-sport specialization and pressure from parents/coaches.
Athlete burnout can put athletes at higher risk for mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, mood changes and sleep disturbances. These concerns can in turn negatively impact the athlete’s mental and physical performance in their sport and their overall wellness outside of athletics.
Common Signs and Symptoms of Athlete Burnout
An athlete experiencing athlete burnout may experience the following:
chronic muscle and joint pain
weight loss and/or loss of appetite
dieting and/or restrictive eating
amenorrhea in athletes assigned female at birth
decreased physical or mental sports performance
increased irritability
decreased school performance
fatigue or personality/mood changes
constantly talking about their sport
lack of enjoyment of their sport
If you notice any of these common warning signs of athlete burnout, kindly and gently address it with your athlete(s); allow yourself to be curious and compassionate about the changes you may be noticing, and show your athlete(s) that you care. One of the best treatments for burnout is rest, and it is our job as people working with and supporting athletes to encourage (and maybe even require) them to rest.
Supporting Athletes Experiencing Burnout
Athlete burnout is real and commonly experienced, but as adult supporting athletes, we can try to prevent or at least minimize the negative effects of athlete burnout. If you are a coach, build in fun and interesting age-appropriate activities and workouts to your practice plans and keep your team training regimen flexible. As a parent or coach, model and/or teach your athlete how to be aware of cues from their body that they are feeling overworked or in need of slowing down. Make it a point to discuss the importance of supporting overall health and wellness, and allow yourself to listen with an open and curious mind when your athlete brings their concerns to you.
Athletes are often expected to not struggle - or at the very least not show their struggle - and to be perfect at almost everything they do on and off the playing field. On the one hand, high expectations can be helpful in achieving desired goals and outcomes. On the other hand, those high expectations may also lead athletes to believe that they aren’t allowed to be human: to struggle and cry and to be anxious and question their love for their sport and to sometimes even want to just give up. We have to normalize the experience of athlete burnout, and we have to let athletes know it is okay to ask for help. Athletes deserve to feel empowered, supported and human.
If you or someone you know is an athlete struggling with burnout or other mental health struggles, you are not alone. Professional help is available and it works. Book a free discovery call with me today to learn more about how I can help.