Correlating Athlete Injuries To Struggling Mental Health

Presenter: Aidan Tarr

Faculty Sponsor: Dustin Christensen

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Journalism

Session: Poster Session 4, 2:15 PM - 3:00 PM, Concourse, B14

ABSTRACT

As a former athlete of 12 years, I have struggled numerous times through concussions, tears, etc. Usually, these injuries would also bring along a stint of depression, which I have battled on and off with for years now. 

This is not an uncommon occurrence. Bucky Irving, a running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League, missed two games this season following a shoulder injury he was recovering from. Later, he went on to say his shoulder was healed, but he wasn't right with himself because he had been stripped for weeks of the one thing he has dedicated his entire life to. 

Many studies show that stripping an athlete from their respective sport spontaneously and unexpectedly can have similar effect on the brain as PTSD from a veteran or institutionalization of a felon trying to reincorporate themselves into society.

My goal is to create an investigative journalism piece and present it to shed light on this issue, and to gather jarring insight from UMass athletes, possibly professional athletes, and experts in the mental health field.

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