Supporting College Student-Athlete Mental Health This School Year
- Compass Counseling Administrator
- Aug 12, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 1, 2025
By: Brielle Smith, MA, Therapist & Former College Student-Athlete
It’s that time of year again—new classes, new schedules, new teammates, and the same high expectations. Whether you are entering your first season or going into your final year, being a college student-athlete means constantly juggling performance, academics, and pressure from all sides. I’ve been there. I played in college while managing ADHD. I know what it’s like to feel pulled in a dozen directions, trying to meet everyone’s expectations— even when your energy and focus are running low. Now, as a therapist, I want to share what I’ve learned on both sides of the court.
This article is for you: the student-athlete gearing up for another big year. Whether you’re feeling excited, anxious, overwhelmed, or all three— you are not alone. Check out what the research says about the student-athlete experience, and then I will share some of the research-backed strategies that can help you thrive, not just survive.
What the Research Says About Student-Athlete Mental Health
The NCAA’s 2022 Well-Being Study found:
38% of female and 22% of male student-athletes reported frequent mental exhaustion.
Less than half said they’d feel comfortable reaching out for mental health support.
Many athletes felt stuck between performing well and taking care of themselves.
(NCAA, 2022)
Sound familiar? You are expected to do it all. You show up early. You push through pain. You don’t complain. But behind that discipline, many of us are dealing with anxiety, burnout, school or relationship issues, ADHD, or depression— and feeling like we have to hide it.
Student-athletes have similar or higher rates of mental health concerns than non-athletes. Surprising? Many assume athletes are more “resilient” or “mentally tough”. But studies show comparable, and sometimes higher, rates of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders among student-athletes compared to their non-athlete peers. In one study, 33% of college student-athletes reported experiencing significant symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions (Gulliver et al., 2012). Despite this, only 10% of these student-athletes sought help, largely due to stigma and fear of appearing weak. Let’s bridge the gap, and end the stigma.
Let’s end some stigma by getting informed. Here are some lesser-known facts about student-athletes.
Did you know… Injury is one of the top triggers for depression in athletes?
Athletes recovering from injury are 2-4 times more likely to experience clinical depression (Appaneal et al., 2009). If you’ve ever had a significant injury, you understand that physical injuries disrupt not only performance but also identity, structure/routine, and social connection. Injured athletes often feel isolated from teammates and experience grief, frustration, and loss of self-worth (Brewer & Redmond, 2017). So this season, don’t forget to take care of yourself, do your stretches, seek support, and check-in on your recovering teammates, or fellow student-athletes.
Did you know… Student-athletes spend the equivalent of a full-time job on their sport?
With 30-45+ hours per week dedicated to athletics, plus academics and sometimes work, student-athletes often face chronic stress and inadequate rest (NCAA, 2022). Not to mention, this combination of athletics, academic loads, jobs, and social life, can leave little recovery time—a key factor in stress and burnout.This overload can impair sleep, increase anxiety, and worsen focus, especially if you're neurodivergent. Even in off-seasons, student-athletes can often experience guilt or anxiety for resting, contributing to chronic exhaustion and poor sleep hygiene.
Did you know… Eating disorders are underrecognized in male athletes?
While often associated with female athletes, male athletes, especially in weight-class or aesthetic sports, are also at high risk. Sports like wrestling, rowing, swimming, and track see high rates of disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, and overexercising. Unfortunately, stigma and gender stereotypes contribute to underrecognition and underreporting (Nagata et al., 2021).
Did you know… Sleep troubles can be a slippery slope to student-athlete well-being?
In a study of NCAA DI student-athletes, shorter sleep duration, poor sleep quality, and daytime fatigue were independently linked to increased stress, anxiety, depression, poor mental health days, and decreased social support (Grandner et al., 2021). A broader review of sleep and mental health in athletes found insomnia symptoms affect 27–37% of athletes, and athletes often experience quality of sleep problems due to training schedules, stress, travel, and performance anxiety- a cycle that can worsen mental health issues, including burnout (Montero et al., 2022).
Therapist-Backed Quick Tips for Mental Wellness This Season
Now that we’ve uncovered what many people don’t know about student-athlete mental health, here’s what you can do to stay strong mentally on and off the field.
Break Big Goals into Smaller Wins
Goal-setting theory suggests that specific, attainable goals increase performance and well-being (Locke & Latham, 2002).
Try this: Use a whiteboard or notes app to track 2–3 specific goals daily (e.g., “Chemistry class,” “Drink water,” “Stretch for 10 min”).
Talk to Yourself Like a Teammate, Not a Critic
Research shows that self-compassion reduces anxiety and promotes resilience in athletes (Mosewich et al., 2013). When you make a mistake, how do you speak to yourself? Replace “I suck” with “That was hard, but I can recover.”
Support Executive Function with Structure
Whether you have ADHD or just feel overwhelmed, systems help. Time blocks, planners, and digital tools can offload mental stress. Routines and other organizational supports enhance functioning, especially in ADHD (Barkley, 2015).
4. Schedule Mental Recovery Like You Would Physical Recovery
Mindfulness practices improve focus and reduce stress in athletes (Noetel et al., 2019). Some critics see mindfulness as pseudoscience or "woo-woo”. People may dismiss mindfulness even though there is substantial research supporting its benefits. In elite athletes, these practices produce large effects in reducing sports anxiety and improving emotional regulation (Si, Yang, & Feng, 2024). Mindfulness isn’t just a technique known to promote relaxation, it is also seen as attention-training. In the realm of athletics, mindfulness is a powerful resource for handling pressure, helping athletes manage negative thoughts, and enhancing athletes’ perceptions of their capabilities (Henriksen, 2022; Wang et al., 2023).
Try This: Start small– try 1-5 minute guided meditations. Your thoughts will draft, that is okay. Just allow yourself to gently bring your attention back to your breath or to the guided meditation’s sounds.
5. Seek Help Early– It's a Strength, Not a Weakness
Student-athletes who view counseling as enhancing performance are more likely to seek help (Watson, 2005). Mental health care is part of performance care. Campus or nearby counselors, sport psychologists, or even peer groups can offer vital support.
This advice works for any college student– whether you’re balancing a part-time job, living away from home for the first time, or managing a mental health diagnosis.
Conclusion
Being a student-athlete is demanding, but your mental health is not a side issue. It’s the foundation of your success. The sooner we normalize talking about it, the better we all perform.
You are not just an athlete. You are a whole person. And taking care of that whole person— mind, body, and identity— is how you win the long game
. Don’t forget to prioritize your sleep, and speak up if you or a teammate are struggling. Help and guidance are here when you are ready.
Looking for support and guidance on your mental wellness journey? Contact our Team:
Call/Text: (484) 447-7255
Email: contact@compasscaa.com
References
Appaneal, R. N., Levine, B. R., Perna, F. M., & Roh, J. L. (2009). Measuring post-injury depression among male and female competitive athletes. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 31(1), 60–76. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.31.1.60
Barkley, R. A. (2015). Executive functioning and self-regulation: Extended phenotype of ADHD. Guilford Press.
Brewer, B. W., & Redmond, C. (2017). Psychology of sport injury rehabilitation. In G. Tenenbaum
& R. Eklund (Eds.), Handbook of Sport Psychology (4th ed., pp. 794–819). Wiley.
Grandner, M. A., Hall, C., Jaszewski, A., Alfonso-Miller, P., Gehrels, J. A., Killgore, W. D. S., & Amy Athey (2021). Mental Health in Student Athletes: Associations With Sleep Duration, Sleep Quality, Insomnia, Fatigue, and Sleep Apnea Symptoms. Athletic training & sports health care, 13(4), e159–e167. https://doi.org/10.3928/19425864-20200521-01
Gulliver, A., Griffiths, K. M., & Christensen, H. (2012). Barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seeking for young elite athletes: A qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry, 12, 157.
Henriksen, K. (2022). The Magic of Mindfulness in Sport. Front. Young Minds. 10:683827. doi: 10.3389/frym.2022.683827
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717.
Montero, A., Stevens, D., Adams, R., & Drummond, M. (2022). Sleep and Mental Health Issues in Current and Former Athletes: A Mini Review. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 868614.
Mosewich, A. D., Crocker, P. R. E., Kowalski, K. C., & DeLongis, A. (2013). Applying self- compassion in sport: An intervention with women athletes. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 35(5), 514–524. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.35.5.514
Nagata, J. M., Ganson, K. T., & Murray, S. B. (2021). Eating disorders in boys and men. Pediatrics, 147(4), e2020040269. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-040269
NCAA. (2022). Student-athlete well-being study: Fall 2022 summary findings.
Noetel, M., Ciarrochi, J., Van Zanden, B., & Lonsdale, C. (2019). Mindfulness and acceptance
approaches to sporting performance enhancement: A systematic review. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 12(1), 139–175.
Si, X. W., Yang, Z. K., & Feng, X. (2024). A meta-analysis of the intervention effect of mindfulness training on athletes' performance. Frontiers in psychology, 15, 1375608.
Wang, Y., Lei, S.-M., & Fan, J. (2023). Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Promoting Athletic Performance and Related Factors among Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2038. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032038
Watson, J. C. (2005). College student-athletes’ attitudes toward help-seeking behavior and expectations of counseling services. Journal of College Student Development, 46(4), 442– 449. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2005.0044
