The list of former professional athletes who have taken their own lives is long and includes prominent names from various sports disciplines. Among them are American football players such as Junior Seau, Mike Webster, and Jim Tyrer; professional golfer Erica Blasberg; and former New York Yankees pitcher Hideki Irabu. The essay cites a researcher who documented at least 77 deaths by suicide among former Major League Baseball players, more than half between the ages of 20 and 40. [1]
The essay describes difficulties some athletes face after retirement, including loss of income and team support. Many people who benefited from adulation and success throughout their youth find it hard to let go of the joys of sporting peak performance. Unlike individuals in other fields who begin to establish themselves in long-term careers by their 30s, many athletes are just beginning the post-career phase. The disappearance of adrenaline from elite competition, cessation of large salaries, lack of locker room camaraderie, and absence of agents or coaches who provided 24-hour protection often leave them isolated and insecure. [1]
The essay also discusses chronic pain, injuries and possible cognitive effects after a sports career. After years spent at peak physical condition, overuse of joints and muscles, along with numerous injuries, leaves physical and mental traces. Adjusting to daily life becomes difficult when chronic pain, reduced mobility, and possible permanent cognitive deficits (resulting from repeated head blows) appear. Recent study results concerning chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) have raised major concerns. Although there is no precise diagnostic test for CTE in living brains, a study found CTE in 110 of 111 donated brains from former NFL players. The study's selected sample cannot establish how common CTE is among all former NFL players. [1]
Two former stars of the Women's World Cup, Brandi Chastain and Michelle Akers, publicly expressed concern about memory problems after leaving sports, stating they will participate in a study on CTE at Boston University. Additionally, CTE was diagnosed after death in a former player of Australian rules football who played just seven games in 2017, retired, and committed suicide in 2022 at age 28. Her family donated her brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank, where the director discovered “multiple CTE lesions.” Horse racing has its own challenges: two jockeys normally die annually, and another 60 are paralyzed. Jockeys wear less protective gear and face pressure to maintain low body weight, leading frequently to eating disorders. Last year, the equestrian world was shocked by the suicides of two jockeys. Mike Smith, winner of the Triple Crown in 2018, stated he knows of other jockeys who have taken their own lives. “It doesn’t happen suddenly. It’s something that has always been there, but no one talks about it,” he said. [1]
The author cites observational research that found associations between local college football rankings and suicide rates in some communities. The study cannot establish that a result caused a change in an individual's risk. People joke about “living and dying” with your team, but a fan’s sense of belonging can be destroyed when the team loses and the season ends. It may seem easy to say that nobody should take sports so seriously, but as a supporter, I feel the charm of this bond. If you suffer through tragedy, seek immediate help. For round-the-clock assistance, call 988, the suicide prevention crisis hotline. You can reach Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a psychologist near you, visit Psychology Today Therapy Directory. [1]
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