-Mental Health For Coaches-

The first week of May is recognized in the USA as “National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week” in order to raise awareness surrounding the most common mental health disorders. While I discussed athletes and performance anxiety over the past months it is important to examine factors that contribute to anxiety, stress, depression, burnout, and a high divorce rate among coaching professionals. This is an evolving process because issues turn to problems when not resolved, and progress in a chain reaction like a physical and emotional rollercoaster from anxiety to chronic anxiety, leading to stress, and continuous stress leads to depression and eventually leads to burnout. I share some personal experiences dealing with these issues. 

Let’s define:

Health – there are several categories:

…Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity… (Constitution of the World Health Organization)

…Functional health is often defined as one's ability to perform daily activities required to meet basic needs, fulfill usual roles, and maintain their health and wellbeing…

…Emotional health is about how we think and feel. It is about our sense of wellbeing, our ability to cope with life events and how we acknowledge our own emotions as well as those of others. It doesn't mean being happy all of the time…

Anxiety:    

Anxiety – emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure. 

People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns and may avoid certain situations out of worry. A big event or a build-up of smaller stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety – for example, work stress or ongoing worry about career progress, achievement, or finances. According to research, people with certain personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders than others. Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, it involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).

Common Signs of Anxiety and Symptoms:

While depression hasn’t been shown to cause anxiety, the two conditions often occur together. Symptoms of anxiety can include: 

• Nervousness, restlessness, or feeling tense

• Feelings of danger, panic, or dread

• Rapid heart rate

• Rapid breathing

• Increased or heavy sweating

• Trembling or muscle twitching

• Trouble focusing or thinking clearly about anything other than the thing one is worried about

According to the USA Mayo Clinic:

• Feeling nervous, restless, or tense

• Having a sense of impending danger, panic, or doom

• Having an increased heart rate

• Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)

• Sweating

• Trembling

• Feeling weak or tired

• Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry

• Having trouble sleeping

• Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems

• Having difficulty controlling worry

• Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Having an anxiety disorder can also lead to or worsen other mental and physical conditions, such as:

• Depression (often occurs with an anxiety disorder) or other mental health disorders

• Substance misuse

• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)

• Digestive or bowel problems

• Headaches and chronic pain

• Social isolation

• Problems functioning at school or work 

• Poor quality of life

• Suicide

Stress:

Stress– feeling stressed is something we all experience from time to time. Perhaps a situation or event is causing stress, or maybe it’s our reaction to something that’s making us feel overwhelmed. We have to differentiate between ‘Stress and Eustress.’ The former is distress or negative stress, which is the body's response or reaction when changes occur resulting in physical, emotional, and intellectual responses, although stress can be real or perceived. But stress can be positive, keeping us alert, motivated, and ready to avoid danger. But stress becomes a problem when stressors continue without relief or periods of relaxation. Stress responses help the body adjust to new situations while stress management training can help to deal with events or influencing factors in a healthier manner. On the other hand, Eustress is beneficial stress either psychological, physical, or biochemical that is actually important for us to have in our lives (Cleveland Clinic, 2021).

During stress, the body’s autonomic nervous system controls the heart rate, breathing, vision changes, and more. The built-in stress response, the “fight-or-flight response,” helps the body face stressful situations (Cleveland Clinic, 2021). When the person has long-term (chronic) stress, continued activation of the stress response causes wear and tear on the body. Subsequently, physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms develop. Stress is subjective – not measurable with tests. Only the person experiencing it can determine whether it is present and how severe it feels. A healthcare provider may use questionnaires to understand stress and how it affects one’s life. However, stress can be a short-term issue or a long-term problem, depending on what changes are made. Regularly using stress management techniques can help to avoid most physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of stress.

Sport Coaches and Stress: 

Sports coaches operate within a complex, ever-changing environment with many pressures. A key message emerges from research that the potential health and performance costs of psychological stress are significant, and the impact on personal well-being and job performance. The rapid rate of change in contemporary sport and the dynamic nature of stress means that stress in coaches is an ongoing problem that needs to be monitored and addressed.

1. We usually focus on stress, burnout, and dropout rates in children and youth sports programs. But what about the mental health and burnout of coaches due to multiple roles with demands such as the pursuit of personal goals and career achievement; upkeep of education and professional growth; a potential over-drive for perfection; personal and athletes’ performance expectations; taking care of X-number of athletes to help attain their goals and ambitions; increasing parental and organizational pressures? It is indeed a big and heavy daily load!

2. Female coaches face far more issues than their male counterparts: 

• Having to decide whether to start coaching and build a professional career and delay family and pregnancy planning OR start their family early and delay career aspirations. In the first instance, they work on establishing their career and then interrupt the progress by having a family during their mid-thirties. This means by the time they finally return to coaching, their knowledge base has moved past them (is outdated). In the second instance, coaching with a young family and meeting all the demands of the family household, childcare, and coaching responsibilities are extremely ‘taxing’, especially if the husband is of little help! 

• Multi-tasking as a teacher, professional coach, and motherhood. I share my personal story (not to ‘whine’ but it is the realistic experience as a female coach):

• Here was my day: trying to juggle the required full year of Student Teaching for the Arizona Teaching Certification at the University of Arizona (August-May) at Palo Verde High School (8:00-3:00 PM daily); followed by assigned Varsity Coaching Gymnastics and then Athletics 3:30-4:30 PM (different seasons); racing to coach our community Swim team 5:00-6:00 PM; picking up 2 young sons from the babysitter; feeding them and spending some limited time with them before bedtime; working from 9:00 PM-12:30 AM as an engineering draftsperson; preparing for next day teaching until 4:00 AM; sleep until 6:30 AM; taking the boys to the babysitter; returning completed drafting work to the UA Agricultural Engineering department; racing to the High school to teach. Are you exhausted reading this? Well, I was …midway thru May the following year I was in the hospital due to exhaustion, missed my graduation and was lucky that my older son had gone to the neighbor to tell her that Mom was not answering in bed and they had run out of food… the EMS came to take me to the hospital, totally dehydrated and physically done! The life of a single Mom, Teacher, and Coach! How in the Hell I made it… tenacity and determination to make it!

• After the missed graduation, I signed a contract to teach in Lakewood, Colorado to teach High School Physical Education, German, and coach 3 Varsity sports: Gymnastics (girls); Athletics and Swimming (boys and girls) as the sports were seasonal; coached a country club swim team during the summer months; in addition, watching my older son play Basketball and the younger one to play Pop Warner Football… once again a full load of responsibilities.

• Got recruited to ASU to teach and coach Varsity Gymnastics and Athletics while working on the Masters (MSc) and PhD attending night classes while doing research for the Master’s Thesis, followed by the Ph.D. Dissertation. In order to support our family, I also coached a country club swim team, and supported the boys in their sports activities.

• Recruited to the University of Calgary from ASU on the basis of 70% teaching load and 30% coaching assignment (Head Coach Gymnastics and then Assistant Coach Swimming). You tell me how this equation should work? There is 100% effort going into teaching (up to seven courses as the highest load), and 100% effort into daily 2-3 hour practices and weekend competition travel. Insanity!

• Facing professional discrimination versus male counterparts despite possessing higher educational qualification (Ph.D.) and greater coaching experience in several sports at the International level (personal experience throughout my career). 

• ‘Academic snobbery’ – promotion and career advancement within the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary were totally political if one ‘toed the line’, which I did not as I have always spoken my mind when principles were involved. It reminds me of the present ‘woke culture!’ And all that …despite the fact that I received the most prestigious Canadian 3M National Award for Outstanding Teaching at Canadian Universities, the first-ever for Physical Education/Kinesiology in the country!

• Sexual harassment and sexual offers by a national Swim Head coach would have assured me a position as an Assistant on the Olympic team (and to ruin my professional reputation!) whereas male coaches seldom have to face those challenges! 

3. Due to the fact that successful female coaches were scarce as role models during the early career years, I had to fight personal battles alone without support, which caused tremendous stress and anxiety. It took a lot of tenacity not to give up and walk away! 

4. Male and female coaches frequently have to deal with family issues, which have led to an increased divorce rate. Some sport sociologists indicate that coaches are proud of their blue-collar work ethic but one league official estimated the divorce rate for coaches to be at 60 to 70 percent. They are happy in their jobs, but the hours wreak havoc on health and family life. For example: 

5. The current pandemic is pushing the link between mental health and productivity, which obviously also has a tremendous impact on coaches’ health, whether Amateur (lack of coaching due to restrictions) or Professional (restrictions and limitations while playing limited schedules).

According to Kulmatycki and Bukowska (2007), University School of Physical Education, Wrocław, Poland, the coaching profession includes stages characterized by intensive stress, reduced level of professional activity, physical exhaustion, or fatigue. These symptoms comprise a syndrome known as professional burnout, which is negative stress and work overload. 

A study at the University of South Carolina of 295 swimming coaches reveals a strong correlation between competition and burnout symptoms. Indirect causes of burnout may include the coach’s low social status, underpayment, and subsequently the necessity for assuming an extra job. The constant struggle for better work conditions, and trying to prove the importance of the coach’s role in society, the usefulness of professional activity can lead to frustration, low self-esteem, and feeling of injustice. The coaching profession requires a high resistance to stressful situations. Besides the high level of rivalry, one of the most important parts of the coaching profession is high staff rotation and social pressure.

Whatever the reason, stress affects us all. For some of us, however, it’s a recurring problem that over time can seriously impact our health and wellbeing. There are lots of ways we can learn to cope with stress better, including developing emotional resilience and introducing more rest and relaxation into our routines, but sometimes we need support (Life Coach Directory, 2021).

Physical, Emotional, and Behavioral Symptoms of Stress:

Sometimes it’s easy to know when we’re stressed, but other times we may not even recognise such because stress can manifest in different ways, often affecting us both physically and emotionally. According to the USA Cleveland Clinic (2021), the following common symptoms are noted:

• Aches and pains

• Chest pain or a feeling like your heart is racing

• Exhaustion or trouble sleeping

• Headaches, dizziness, or shaking

• High blood pressure

• Muscle tension or jaw clenching

• Stomach or digestive problems

Stress can also lead to emotional and mental symptoms like:

• Anxiety or irritability

• Depression

• Panic attacks

• Sadness 

Often, people with chronic stress try to manage it with unhealthy behaviors, which may include:

• Drinking too much or often

• Overeating or developing an eating disorder

• Smoking

• Using cannabis or heavier drugs

• Gambling

• Participating compulsively in sex, shopping, or internet browsing

Depression: 

Generally, depression is a term often used loosely to describe how people feel after a bad week at work or when going through a breakup. However, major depressive disorder is much more complicated. According to the ‘Healthline’ Website, depression is a constant feeling of sadness and loss of interest, which stops people from doing normal activities. Also, different types of depression exist with symptoms ranging from relatively minor to severe. 

Depression does not result from a single incidence but from a mix of events and factors. Being unhappy isn’t the same as being depressed. There are specific symptoms that determine whether it’s depression or the type of sadness we all sometimes experience in life. Determining if persistent, unshakable dark feelings are a result of depression is the first step toward healing and recovery. Major depression is a mood disorder that affects the way people feel about life in general. 

• Having a hopeless or helpless outlook on life is the most common symptom of depression. Other feelings may be worthlessness, self-hate, or inappropriate guilt. Common, recurring thoughts of depression may be vocalized as, “It’s all my fault,” or “what’s the point?” 

• Depression can take the pleasure or enjoyment out of living such as losing interest or withdrawal from activities that people once enjoyed like sports, hobbies, or going out with friends. 

• Part of the reason people may stop doing things they enjoy is feeling very tired as depression often displays a lack of energy or an overwhelming feeling of fatigue, which can be among the most debilitating symptoms. This could lead to excessive sleeping. Depression can also be linked to insomnia, as one might lead to the other and vice versa. They can also make each other worse. The lack of quality, restful sleep can result in anxiety.

• Some people may lose interest in sex as symptoms of major depression include a decreased sex drive and even impotence although depression can affect the sexes differently. Research shows that men with depression may have symptoms such as irritability, escapist or risky behavior, substance abuse, or misplaced anger. They are also less likely than women to recognize depression or seek treatment for it.

• Weight and appetite can fluctuate for people with depression. This experience may be different for each person. Some people have an increased appetite and gain weight, while others won’t be hungry and lose weight. One indication of whether dietary changes are related to depression is if they’re intentional or not. If they’re not, it may mean that they’re caused by depression.

Signs or Symptoms of Depression:

Although depression may occur only once during a person’s life, people typically have multiple episodes with symptoms occurring most of the day, nearly every day. According to the US Mayo Clinic in Rochester, the following are additional symptoms:

• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, or hopelessness

• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters

• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort

• Anxiety, agitation, or restlessness

• Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements

• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions, and remembering things

• Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, or suicide

For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities, or relationships with others. Some people may feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing the reason.

Burnout: 

Burnout– state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when people feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. The 2013 study by Betty Kelley, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, examined stress and burnout in male (n = 131) and female (n = 118) collegiate head baseball and softball coaches. The model hypothesizes that personal/situational variables of coaching issues such as social support, hardiness, gender, and the win/loss record predict stress appraisal, which, in turn, predicts burnout. Both male and female coaches higher in coaching issues and lower in hardiness were higher in perceived stress, and males lower in social support satisfaction were higher in perceived stress. Both male and female coaches' stress appraisal was predictive of all burnout components. The coaches were classified as suffering from moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion and low to moderate levels of depersonalization and personal accomplishment.

According to ‘Mental Toughness Trainer Today’, more demands are placed on coaches nowadays by parents and athletes, time expected above what anyone could have ever imagined 25 years ago, and it is not slowing down. New expectations and increased time commitments are the expected norm as coaches also struggle to find time to attend their own family events. From filling out increased paperwork, additional counselling with both athletes and parents, scheduling in-season events, training camps, fundraisers, team camps, meetings, summer competitions, the list continues to grow, and burnout in the coaching profession is exploding. The expectations simply aren’t suggestions for coaches rather they are expected requirements. Not only is the coach in the crosshairs of burnout, but families of coaches are also definitely on the front lines of increased expectations and time commitments that reach far beyond the normal school year. The mental and physical health of coaches and their families are taking an unyielding ‘beating.’

The study by Raedeke and Granzyk (2000) examined coaching burnout from a commitment perspective that highlights the link between burnout and feelings of entrapment. Theoretically, entrapment occurs when coaches become less attracted to coaching but feel they have to maintain their involvement because (a) they perceive a lack of attractive alternatives to coaching, (b) they believe they have too much invested to quit, or (c) they think others expect them to continue coaching. For this study, 295 age-group swim coaches completed a survey that included scales to assess theoretical determinants of commitment, the exhaustion component of burnout, and the commitment itself. Data analyses show that coaches with characteristics of entrapment reported significantly higher exhaustion than the other groups and near-average commitment scores.

Signs of Burnout:

According to various experts and the Clinical staff at the US Mayo Clinic:

• Sense of failure and self-doubt

• Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated

• Detachment, feeling alone in the world

• Loss of motivation

• Increasingly cynical and negative outlook

• Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment

Reference: Schloder, M.E. (2019). Socio-Cultural Perspectives of Sport. Lecture Series. Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

AND

• Lack of energy and inability to recover

• Memory and concentration problems

• Inability to make decisions

• Fear of failure

• Indifference and boredom

• Disillusionment or despair

• Restlessness

• Feeling of weakness 

• Bitterness

• A feeling of a lack of recognition

• Low frustration threshold

• Physical symptoms such as back pain or sleep disorders

The 5 Stages of Burnout:

• Honeymoon Phase– when undertaking a new task, we often start by experiencing high job satisfaction, commitment, energy, and creativity

• Onset of Stress– second stage of burnout begins with an awareness of some days being more difficult than others

• Chronic Stress

• Burnout

• Chronic Burnout 

Questions to Ask Yourself: 

• Have you become cynical or critical at work?

• Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?

• Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers or clients?

• Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?

• Do you find it hard to concentrate?

• Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?

• Do you feel disillusioned about your job?

• Are you using food, drugs, or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?

• Have your sleep habits changed?

• Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?

Psychologists Freudenberger and North cited in J. Stillman (2021) divided the burnout process into 8 phases:

• Excessive ambition. ... 

• Pushing oneself to work harder 

• Neglecting personal care and needs 

• Displacement of conflict 

• Changes in values to validate self-worth 

• Denial of problems and blame

• Social withdrawal 

• Obvious behavior changes

Difference Between Burnout and Depression– 

Basically, it is difficult to distinguish between burnout and depression as both disorders have similar symptoms. This is partly due to the fact that there is no authoritative definition for burnout syndrome to date. Usually a difficult, strenuous and excessively stressful life situation is responsible for burnout. 

Strategies and Management (Self-care)– 

Nearly one in five adults in the U.S. is said to live with a mental health condition. This number is increasing in the wake of the year we are experiencing. Mental health issues can take many shapes and affect people from all walks of life. If you or a loved one lives with a mental health condition, you are not alone.

• Positive self-talk

• Take breaks 

• Keep a realistic schedule 

• Delegate tasks 

• Allow time for personal exercise 

• Spend time with those close to you 

• Keep up with your hobbies

• Use Relaxation techniques

• Yoga

• Tai Chi

• Concentrate on your breathing – deep breathing exercises

• Stay positive

• Get to know your team personally

• If needed, see a counselor

Other Recommendations:

• Get enough sleep

• Maintain a routine for bedtime and wake-up time

• Avoid coffee, sugary drinks, and alcohol

• Maintain a personal routine and schedule for eating

• Maintain good and healthy nutrition

• Maintain a healthy weight

Personal Suggestions– 

Management skills that I have used to help me to deal with stress:

• Yoga

• Tai Chi

• Progressive Relaxation*

• Deep Breathing Exercises**

• Listening to Classical Music – select composers like Bach, Vivaldi

• Listening to Relaxation tapes: ocean waves; raindrops; wind blowing

• Playing some upbeat music to start the day

• Use flowery aroma candles – said to help relaxation 

• Reading a good book… has really helped in these times

• Doing crossword puzzles…I use German ones

• Learning new words in another language…I do Italian, Spanish, French

• Going for a long walk; observe nature in the park, observe trees and their shapes

• Change the daily routine – choose a different way driving to practice or grocery shopping

• Try new food or recipes

* Progressive Relaxation is understood as a natural response to excessive psychophysical stress. Jacobson, the author of progressive training, pointed to a simple relaxation method consisting of alternating tension and relaxation of individual muscles. The aim is to develop the ability to assess improper muscular tension and exercise intentional muscular relaxation, which then can affect one’s psyche and emotions (Refer to Appendix A).

** Deep-breathing exercises can be done standing, sitting, or lying down

• Perform several times per day

• Concentrate and listen to your breathing – feel the movement of the chest and stomach 

• Perform 5-7 Repetitions

• ‘47-11’ Exercise (German): inhale 4 seconds; hold breath 7 seconds; exhale into stomach 11 seconds

I hope… this is NOT You!

References:

American Psychological Association (2019). Does mental toughness buffer the relationship between perceived stress, depression, burnout, anxiety, and sleep? International Journal of Stress Management, 26(3), 297-305.

Better Health Channel (n.d.). Depression explained. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/depression 

Cleveland Clinic (2021, January 28). Stress: Signs, symptoms, management, and prevention. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11874-stress

Grace, J. (2016). Mental health for coaches: are you living a sustainable lifestyle. SWIMSWAM. Retrieved May 17. 2021, from https://swimswam.com/mental-health-coaches-living-sustainable-lifestyle/

Fletcher, D., & Scott, M. (2010). Psychological stress in sports coaches: A review of concepts, research, and practice. Journal of Sport Sciences, 28(2), 127-137. Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02640410903406208?journalCode=rjsp20

Freudenberger, H., & North, G. (2017). Twelve phases of burnout, according to psychologists. How bad is your burnout? Cited in J. Stillman (2021).

Haghighi, M., & Gerber, M. (2019). Does mental toughness buffer the relationship between perceived stress, depression, burnout, anxiety, and sleep? International Journal of Stress Management, 26(3), 297–305. https://doi.org/10.1037/str0000106

Healthline website. Retrieved May 25, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/recognizing-symptoms#getting-help

Khan, H. (2021). The twelve phases of burnout. The Burnout Gamble.

Lesław Kulmatycki, L., & Bukowska, K. (2007).  Differences in experiencing relaxation by sport coaches in relation to sport type and gender. Human Movement, 8(2), 98-103. Department of Psychology, Chair of Humanistic Bases of Physical Culture, University School of Physical Education, Wrocław, Poland.

Mayo Clinic. Anxiety disorders. Symptoms and causes. Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

Mental Toughness Trainer (n.d.). Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.mentaltoughnesstrainer.com/burnout-in-coaching/

Ohio University (2020). Ten stress management techniques for sport coaches. Retrieved May 29, 2021, from https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/blog/10-stress-management-techniques-for-sport-coaches/

Raedeke, T.D., Granzyk, T.L., & Warren, A. (). Why coaches experience burnout: A commitment perspective. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 22(1), 85-105. and https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.22.1.85

Stillman, J. (2021) Twelve phases of burnout, according to psychologists. How bad is your burnout? Here is the answer. INC. Retrieved May 29, 2021, from https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-12-stages-of-burnout-according-to-psychologist.html

Learn about the causes of burnout. Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.pascoe.ca/medical-conditions/mood-balancing/burnout/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=dynamic&utm_campaign=medical-conditions&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_pf xffV8AIV2mxvBB0hnQt8EAAYA SAAEgI2v_D_BwE

Retrieved May 28, 2021, from https://lifeinthefastbreaklane.com/divorce-rate-for-college-coaches/

Retrieved May 25, 2021, from https://www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk/articles/stress.html