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- Persistent sadness
- Lower self esteem
- Heightened anxiety
- Sudden weight loss or gain
- Lack of sleep
- Irritability

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Biles performed in the first rotation of the team competition, scoring lowest among Team USA competitors, then left the mat and returned in her sweats. She was stepping back from the competition. Biles quickly cleared things up during a press conference. Biles openly admitted she'd taken a back seat because the pressure was too much, and she needed to do it for her mental health.

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Sports are associated with lower rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior.

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Sports are associated with lower rates of stress, anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior.

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A sophomore lacrosse player at Vanderbilt University. She struggled with depression after a mid-season concussion, which led her to stepping away from playing on the school’s lacrosse team. “If I had a good day of practice, I was happy, and if I had a bad day of practice, I didn’t want to talk to anyone,” Bracken said. “I was investing so much of my worth in lacrosse.” After taking time off from competing, Bracken reentered the sport and now is sharing her story to help others.

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Physical activity releases endorphins, the body’s natural “happy chemicals,” and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

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Physical activity releases endorphins, the body’s natural “happy chemicals,” and reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

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Phelps won 23 gold medals, three silver, and two bronze throughout his Olympic career. He holds the most Olympic golds in history, as well as the most Olympic medals overall. Throughout the course of his career, the swimming god-amongst-men faced his fair share of mental health issues, primarily depression, and he's been super vocal about these issues for a long time. He took that openness to a new level when he narrated the HBO documentary, "The Weight of Gold," which looks at mental health issues among athlete. he talks about how the weight of needing to be perfect all the time wore on him, how he always thought poorly of himself, and how he felt alone all the time. He also talks about the suicidal thoughts he faced.

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In 2018, she beat Serena Williams in the U.S. Open, securing the title. She's won the U.S. Open twice and the Australian Open twice, being one of only three people in history to win all four Grand Slam Finals in which they've competed. In 2021, Osaka explained in her essay for TIME, titled "It's O.K. To Not Be O.K.," why she dropped out of the French Open.

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- Be Aware of the Signs of Stress Stress can manifest itself physically or emotionally
- Seek Support Having a support system is very important in managing mental health conditions
-Having a Routine Most of the time, feeling a lack of control can result in stress
- Visualize Success

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When dealing with the toughness of mental health playing a sport can be hard. It doesn't matter what level of the sport you play it can still have some type of affect on you or the others around you. If dealing with your mental health is tough at the colligate level you can only imagine how it effects professional athletes.

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a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest.

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- Encourage them to talk
- Make sure you listen with an open mind
- Focus on understanding their situation, not on making your point
- Give them a voice
- Make sure they feel heard
- Don’t be afraid to bring up the issue

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the mind and body's reaction to stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations. It's the sense of uneasiness, distress, or dread you feel before a significant event.

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Can playing sports improve mental health?

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Can playing sports improve mental health?

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Sports can help improve your concentration and keep you mentally sharp as you age. Participating in a mix of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise for 30 minutes or longer at least three times a week can improve mental abilities, including critical thinking, learning and using good judgment.

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Which sports can help to improve wellbeing?

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Which sports can help to improve wellbeing?

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Team sports like football can boost your mental health. Football is one of the most popular sports seen on television and on the internet.

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They have also been shown to increase executive functioning, creativity, cognitive development, and self-regulation.