Soccer player earns praise for speaking up about mental health
Plus, an article about federal actions prompted conversation about mental health care for veterans.
Plus, an article about federal actions prompted conversation about mental health care for veterans.
This past week, a professional soccer player announced that she plans to take a break from her sport, sparking discussion about athletes’ mental health. Other conversations focused on a recent article highlighting mental health care for veterans, with some questioning if mental health care providers outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs are equipped to work with former military members.
In response, communicators may share information about athletes and mental health and circulate resources geared toward veterans, plus general mental health resources.
Insights brought to you by the reporters and science writers of Public Good News (PGN), a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving community health.
What’s trending nationally in conversations about mental health
On March 16, professional soccer player Sydney Leroux announced on Instagram that she will be taking a break from soccer to focus on her mental health. Her post garnered approximately 128,000 likes and 1,600 comments as of March 19. Many commenters praised Leroux, who has over 1 million followers on Instagram, for taking care of herself and setting a positive example for young professional and student athletes who may be struggling.
On March 12, NPR published an article highlighting how recent executive orders and federal job cuts are impacting veterans’ mental health. Mental health care providers for the Department of Veterans Affairs told NPR that they fear losing their jobs due to budget cuts, which would leave clients without care, and have been directed to remove symbols from their offices showing support for LGBTQ+ people. They also noted that some clients asked to amend medical records to remove references to their sexual orientation or gender identity due to fear of discrimination after President Donald Trump issued a January executive order barring transgender people from the military, which a judge blocked on March 18. A Facebook post sharing the article received approximately 2,600 reactions, 1,000 shares, and 580 comments as of March 19. Commenters expressed concern for veterans who could lose access to mental health care and worried that mental health care providers who are not employed by the VA may not be equipped to support veterans.
Recommendations brought to you by the health communication experts behind Infodemiology.com.
Recommendations for public health professionals
Each week, the Infodemiology.com team will provide messaging recommendations in response to some of the trending narratives outlined above. These helpful tips can be used when creating content, updating web and FAQ pages, and developing strategy for messaging about mental health.
Conversations about athletes’ mental health provide an opportunity to call attention to the specific challenges that they face. Research shows that up to 35 percent of elite athletes report mental health concerns. Athletes at all levels may struggle with perfectionism, balancing sports and other obligations, competition anxiety, and mental health impacts from sports injuries. Communicators may want to share mental health resources for this community: Athletes for Care connects retired athletes to mental health resources, and the Athletes Against Anxiety and Depression Foundation connects athletes to therapists. Sharing general mental health resources—such as therapist directories, support groups, local mental health centers, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline—is also recommended.
In light of discussions about veterans and mental health, communicators may recirculate mental health resources for veterans, including local vet centers that offer counseling and support groups; self-help tools; the Wounded Warrior Project, which offers counseling and other resources for veterans; therapist directories where people can search for providers who have experience working with veterans; and the Veterans Crisis Line, which can be reached by calling 988 and pressing 1. Sharing resources catered to LGBTQ+ veterans is also recommended.