The “Why” of World Mental Health Day, October 10, 2021 is to raise awareness and to mobilize efforts to support mental health and the millions of people, young and old, affected.

Through sport, not only do we have the methods to physically tend to mental health struggles and to improve our personal bio-chemistry, we also have sport as the most dynamic vehicle to support, address and make aware the subject of mental health.

Here is a prime opportunity to bring further light to the situation by re-introducing 3 entrusted AKASPORT Staff members and their takes on Mental Health. Thanks to athletes/coaches, their sound souls and perspectives, leaders like Jeff Schmidt, Nicole Hoffman, and Kyle Ramsey, we raise greater awareness to mental health, closer to home and to your kids. Below is what they had to share.

We’re now in a environment where athletes are coming out to share their stories. From Everson Griffen on the Vikings to Aly Raisman with USA gymnastics, numerous high-level athletes have come out about their struggles with mental health.

It’s a prominent topic that affects more people than you can see from the surface. When it comes to our youth, it’s a whole other ball game. We all come from very different environments, whether it’s at home, in school, or even out in the neighborhood. Being a kid is never easy. Everything is new, big, and intimidating to a certain degree. Figuring out complex emotions and how to talk about them is no exception.

Sports can be an excellent way to let go and just do what you do. I did it for years playing lacrosse from 3rd grade through my senior year of college. But just playing sports isn’t always enough. Having positivity, and a safe speaking space is just as important. Kids need an outlet for emotional expression, just like they need an outlet for physical energy. Talk about feelings, ask about what consumes one’s mind, and open up the discussion. Being involved in sport teaches discipline, respect, and physical well-being, but we cannot neglect the mental aspect of it all.

Everything in life starts straight from the mind. Motor skills, decision making, strength, they all start from our heads. Open the door to talking about mental health with anyone. A plant kept in the dark will struggle to grow. Give it light and it will flourish.

-Jeff

When talking about mental health we typically think of it as an adult conversation. However, there is no question that growing up can be complicated. Whether it be at home, at school, or anywhere in between I believe that as adults we hold the responsibility of creating a secure and comfortable space for young people to share their feelings with no expectations attached. While sports are a great way to physically express yourself, having a verbal way to process emotions is equally important. With today being World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10), we need to acknowledge the importance of being that safe space for our youth. 

Personally, mental health was never something I learned or talked about until around high school and even then, I didn’t have a conceptual grasp of what it was until college. However, our social climate has noticeably progressed over the past few years so hopefully these conversations that were once seen as taboo can just be the norm in the next few years moving forward.

All this being said, cheers to all the people who are on their mental health journey and to all those willing to be the person they needed when they were younger. 

-Nicole

Mental Health. A topic that today is widely misunderstood or misconstrued. I think that has something to do with the fact that there isn't an all curing remedy that eliminates the issue. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact factors but it’s something people are now talking about and recognizing more often as an issue. With most issues people deal with, many find themselves without answers or outlets for support.

Here we can hopefully shed some light on the stigmas and misconceptions that surround Mental Health and identify that in our lives and for the kids in our lives who may be struggling just based on the numbers alone. But not many know how to navigate this when faced in their own lives.

In a report done in 2018 from Columbia University School of Public Health, researchers saw a rise mental health conditions/disorders in kids ages 12-17. They found that kids will likely experience or develop an issue with mental health by 7.3% across the country and more glaring, in just the past 5 years, in teens under 17 years old there’s been a 13% increase in mental health conditions/disorders. This means 1 in 5 children will discover some interaction of some form of mental health condition/stressor before they turn 20. 

This really puts into perspective how much intense pressure kids today face every day. Without knowing in most situations from the outside looking in, warning signs can be identified strictly in the processes of communication. If we come alongside an individual when they speak about how they're doing, take into consideration the way they speak on the normal topics like school or sports, if they don’t seem to be engaging in those conversations at home, it may be the questions asked aren't deep enough for the kids on the other end. They won’t share the struggles unless they feel some safe setting where they won't be scolded for the way they've processed things. 

The pressures they encounter are not different from the regular self-esteem management we all traverse throughout our daily lives, for these kids the stresses mount up and before they even graduate they are overloaded in most cases and while the issues are subject to the individual's processing style. They're the same pressures we all internally put on ourselves but exist in our minds like real estate properties, from all sorts of things from social status amongst our peers, fear of  acceptance, parental pressure to perform/meet standard requirements, and academic and physical success. While no one has all the answers, pro athletes like Simon Biles, for USA Gymnastics, bringing to the spotlight her own mental battles and the focus of her health being priority of her training to being ready to compete for her country in the Olympics. Or here in Minnesota, our own Timberwolves all star, Karl-Anthony Towns, speaks out with his struggles after the loss of his family members during the pandemic.

The overall takeaway for me when I look into this is, Mental Health issues don’t just affect one person, one group or age bracket. This affects everyone. And everyone handles that differently. The best for those going through mental health frustrations need support. From a family stand point to proper resources and outlets for dealing with the problems they face. Basically no one processes things exactly the same, how we navigate mental health is just going to be different for everyone. Now the stress can be shared across the board as we can all find some common place where we’ve felt the stress to succeed at some level and have at that same current level we may need to understand these kids see that stress sooner and sooner in their development when we see our kids navigate today. 

-Kyle