Tip of the Month - December 2021
Coach Monika Says…
Anxiety – ‘Only in Your Head’ or a Real Symptom?
Athletes may experience anxiety and/or might frequently feel worried, nervous, or afraid about ordinary events, their training progress, or upcoming competition. How do they manage their feelings? This can become complex, upsetting, and very difficult, and worries can make daily life a challenge.
Anxiety can result in numerous physical symptoms: sweaty or clammy hands, dry mouth, frequent urination, or shaky legs. Heart rate might speed up or the symptom may create a feeling of being sick to the stomach or actually result in vomiting. Athletes, however, might link symptoms to nervousness but maybe are not sure about the exact reason they are feeling unwell.
Most people experience anxiety occasionally but it can be serious or turn into a disorder if it lasts for a longer time, causing significant distress, or interferes with one’s life in other ways. In general, anxiety disorders share many physical symptoms although some types have unique symptoms linked to the specific anxiety.
Types of Anxiety:
Panic disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Separation anxiety (newer symptom: increasing anxiety due to separation from friends and teammates because of pandemic restrictions in schools and sport activities)
Social anxiety (see above)
Phobias
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Performance anxiety
Common Symptoms:
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
Anxiety Triggers:
Performance anxiety symptoms are often present in athletes. Some become "pumped up" during competition. However, if they interpret the rush of adrenaline as anxiety negative thoughts take over. Anxiety before or during games or athletic competitions can interfere with performance. The coordinated movement required by athletic events becomes increasingly difficult when the body is in a tense state. While a certain level of physical arousal is helpful and prepares athletes for competition, when physical symptoms of anxiety are too great, they may seriously interfere with their ability to compete successfully.
A certain amount of worry about one’s performance can be helpful in competition but at the same time, negative thought patterns and expectations of failure could bring about a self-fulfilling prophecy. If there is a large difference between how you fare during practice and how you do during competitions, anxiety may be affecting your performance.
Some types of athletes are more prone to feeling the effects of anxiety on their performance. Amateur athletes more likely experience anxiety compared to seasoned professionals due to potentially relative lack of experience both in competition and in managing feelings of being "pumped up." According to research, athletes participating in individual sports are more likely to experience anxiety than those playing team sports. There is evidence that teams playing at the venue of the opposition (known as "away" game), anxiety levels tend to be higher than when playing at home because greater fan support and familiarity with home location help to reduce anxiety, according to research.
Well-known sport psychologist, Allan Goldberg (1994), states that developing mental toughness should be an integral part of daily training within the portfolio of management techniques. How do elite athletes consistently rise to the challenge when faced with tough competition? Research shows that self-confidence plays a role in how one responds to symptoms of anxiety during athletic performance. If athletes are confident in their ability, they are more likely to have a positive reaction to being "pumped up" and thrive on the challenge of competition. Elite athletes are often so focused on their behaviour that they interpret arousal as excitement rather than anxiety. In general, self-confidence tends to be highest when athletes believe in their ability and feel that they have properly prepared for competition. Worry and confidence are at opposite ends of the spectrum; strong confidence tends to push worry from the mind Goldberg (1994).
References:
Cuncic, A. (2020). How to handle performance anxiety as an athlete. verywellmind. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https://www.verywellmind.com/how-do-i-handle-performance-anxiety-as-an-athlete-3024337 (x)
Goldberg, A. (1994). Do’s and dont’s for pre-meet psyching. Published 2017 by Alec Wathen. American Swim Coaches Association. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from https://swimmingcoach.org/dos-and-donts-for-pre-meet-psyching-by-dr-alan-goldberg/ (x)
Schloder. M.E. (2020). Lecture notes. Basic mental skills. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Adopted from NCCP Module: Basic mental skills.
Schloder. M.E. (2020). Lecture notes. Psychology of performance. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Adopted from NCCP Module: Psychology of performance.