FINDING HOPE: Student-athletes and mental health

So many things in our lives have been canceled or postponed during the pandemic and it's no surprise it's taking a toll on our mental health.

WELCOME TO GOODMORNING IDAHO.I'M FRANKIEKATAFIAS...SO MANY THINGS INOUR LIVES HAVEBEEN CANCELED ORPOSTPONED DURINGTHE PANDEMIC..AND IT'S NOSURPRISE IT'S TAKINGA TOLL ON OURMENTAL HEALTH..NOW MANYSTUDENT-ATHLETESARE FEELING THOSESAME EFFECTS..

ASSCHOOLS AND FALLSPORTS ARE BEINGSHUT DOWN.IN THIS MORNING'SFINDING HOPE..

MIKEAVERY EXPLAINSHOW HAVING ASIMPLE TALK WITHYOUR TEEN COULDDO WONDERS FORTHEIR MENTALWELL-BEING.(NATS OF HIGHSCHOOL FOOTBALL)IT'S TYPICALLY ONEOF THE MOSTEXCITING TIMES OFTHE YEAR WITH HIGHSCHOOL FOOTBALLGETTING CLOSE TOKICKING OFF THEIRSEASON.UNFORTUNATELY,COVID-19 SIDELINEDIT AND A BUNCH OFOTHER SPORTS.DR. NICOLEBEURKENS-CLINCIALPSYCHOLOGIST :39"IT'S A CONCERNBECAUSE SURVEYSTHROUGHOUT THISPANDEMIC HAVESHOWN THATSTUDENT ATHLETESIN PARTICULAR, ARESHOWING RATES OFANXIETY ANDDEPRESSION THATARE STEADILYINCREASING, ANDRATES OF PHYSICALACTIVITY THAT AREDECREASING."IT'S A COMBINATIONTHAT DR. BEURKENSSAYS CAN CAUSESOME SERIOUSPROBLEMS."PEOPLE OFTENUNDERESTIMATEHOW CONNECTEDTHOSE TWO THINGSARE.

BUT THERESEARCH SHOWSUS OVER AND OVERAGAIN, THAT GETTINGSOME FORM OFPHYSICALMOVEMENT,PHYSICAL ACTIVITYOR EXERCISE IN ON ADAILY BASIS ISCRITICAL FORSUPPORTING OURMENTAL HEALTH ANDTHAT'S ESPECIALLYTRUE FOR CHILDRENAND FOR TEENS."SO WITH MANYSPORTS IN ATIMEOUT, DR.BEURKENS SAYSPARENTS SHOULD BELOOKING FOR THESIGNS OF MENTALHEALTH ISSUES."I THINK THAT IFPARENTS START TONOTICE THAT THEIRCHILD ISWITHDRAWING MOREAND MORE, NOTPARTICIPATING INTHINGS THAT THEYUSED TO PARTICIPATEIN, WITHDRAWINGMORE FROM THEFAMILY, GETTING ALOT MORE IRRITABLE,MAYBE FEELINGMORE ANXIOUSABOUT THINGSEXPRESSING MOREHESITATION TO DOTHINGS THAT THEYWERE COMFORTABLEDOING, THOSE ARESIGNS THAT ANXIETYOR DEPRESSION MAYBE AN ISSUE."SHE SAYS KEEPINGYOUR KIDS ACTIVEDURING THIS TIME ISINVALUABLE."SO FOR KIDS STILLTO BE INVOLVED INPHYSICAL ACTIVITIESAROUND WEIGHTTRAINING PRACTICE,MANY OF THESCHOOLS AREWORKING ON HOWTO SAFELY HAVE KIDSTOGETHER TOCONTINUE TOPARTICIPATE IN DRILLTRAIN, IN WORKINGON THINGS THATTHEY WORK DURINGTHE SEASON, EVENTHOUGH THEY WON'TBE COMPETING,THAT'S A GREAT WAYTO PROVIDE NOTONLY STRUCTURE,BUT ALSO THOSERELATIONAL KINDSOF OPPORTUNITIES."AND ABOVE ALL ELSE,DR. BEURKENS SAYSKEEP TALKING."OPENCOMMUNICATION ISONE OF THE THINGSTHAT REALLY HELPSKIDS TO WORKTHROUGH THIS TYPEOF CHALLENGINGSITUATIONS.

SOTALKING WITH THEMABOUT HOW THEYREFEELING ABOUT THEDISAPPOINTMENTABOUT THE ANGEROR MAYBEFRUSTRATION THEYMAY BE FEELING ANDGIVE THEM AHEALTHY OUTLETABOUTCOMMUNICATINGABOUT THAT ISIMPORTANT."THAT WAS MIKEAVERY REPORTING.IT CERTAINLY ATOUGH TIME FOR ALLINVOLVED, ANDDOCTOR BEURKENSMENTIONED ONEOTHER THING TOPASS ALONG.SHE SAYS COACHESARE A BIG PART OFTHEIR PLAYERSLIVES, AND KEEPINGIN TOUCH WITH THEMDESPITE ACANCELLED ORPOSTPONED SEASONCAN GO A LONG WAY.