When you picture an athlete, you’re probably picturing people who look a certain way. But for some athletes, this expectation comes at a significant cost.
Athleticism is a necessary skill for athletes in order to be in prime physical condition for their sport of choice. Whether it’s building muscle, increasing stamina, or dealing with other physical challenges, athletes work extremely hard to be in good shape. Students have to balance weightlifting both before and during the season, practices, games/meets/matches, conditioning, and other training to keep athletes in shape, and they can often feel immense pressure to stay conditioned for their sport. But when does this go from just working hard to something more serious?
The American College of Sports Medicine states that 35% of professional and elite athletes suffer from disordered eating, burnout, depression, and/or anxiety. This rings even more true at the high school level with the National Institutes of Health showing that student-athletes were at risk for depression (22.3%), anxiety (12.5%), and low self-esteem (8%). Many of these mental aspects can come from pressures to stay a specific weight or look a certain way, and with high school athletes already facing the hardships of school and extra-curricular balance, this makes them even more susceptible to the pressures of striving to be perfect.
To see how this affects students here at Harrison, a survey was sent out to several different athletes asking how body dysmorphia and overall body image has affected them. Seven different students responded to the survey, and while only 57% of them said they personally felt the need to look a certain way for their sports, all respondents said that they believe student athletes can develop body dysmorphia at Harrison. A respondent said, “I knew from the beginning of playing my sport that I didn’t want to be average, so I worked harder than my opponents and I had to look away from a lot of “fun” things as a kid because I was either practicing or competing at a tournament.” And while students believe that students at Harrison can develop body dysmorphia, one stated, “…I feel Harrison has a better way of handling body dysmorphia than any other school. For an example, since I wrestle, I have to make a weight class every week, instead of not eating… our coaches are always willing to guide us if we need help and we also have discussions as a team discussing the importance of nutrition and health.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with body dysmorphia, you don’t have to fight this alone! There are many resources you can reach out to for help including trusted adults, school counselors, as well as the Body Dysmorphia Disorder Foundation for ways to take small steps toward improvement.
While athleticism is important to stay safe and able to play your sport, do not get caught up into the mindset of having to be the “perfect.” Your mental and physical health is much more important than your sport. Playing a sport needs energy and nutrition, so making sure you are eating properly and not overly restricting yourself to look “perfect” for your sport will only hurt you in the long run.
