• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Header Logo
  • About Us
  • Podcast
  • Blog
    • All Articles
    • A Healthy Athlete
    • Coaching and Team Culture
    • Lifestyle
    • Sports Parenting
    • High Performance
    • Mindset and Mental Health
    • Girls Sports
    • Ask Dr. Sam
  • Inspiration & Humor
  • Videos
  • Join the Community
Facebook Instagram Twitter youtube pinterest

As seen in

11 Signs Your Athlete May Be Depressed – And They’re Not Sad

  • 157shares
  • 154
  • 3

11 Signs Your Athlete May Be Depressed – And They’re Not Sad

Teenagers are experiencing depression in record numbers. The scary thing is that it doesn’t always look like sadness, and often, they don’t even realize they’re depressed. 

Student-athletes are a unique subset of students. The pressure to perform on the athletic field, compounded by the rigorous course load, can leave little time for assessing mental health and stability. For most athletes, mental health is a secondary concern to physical health.

When athletes face mental health issues, they typically just brush it off. The fact that many student-athletes bear the burden of balancing school, sports, and their social lives creates a special set of circumstances. Athletes, in particular, are taught that showing signs of weakness or being emotional is a bad thing, so many don’t want to share feelings of depression.

Therefore, parents and coaches need to keep an eye out for any unusual behavior.

Here are 11 signs your athlete may be depressed – and they’re not sad.

  1. Their appetite drastically changes, and they aren’t in a growth spurt.
  2. They’re irritable and aggressive
  3. Change in social habits
  4. Energy levels change 
  5. Self-care changes
  6. Sleep patterns altered
  7. Extremely sensitive
  8. They don’t want to practice or train
  9. Constant feelings of being exhausted or tired.
  10. Complaints of gastrointestinal issues or frequent headaches.
  11. Overtraining
     

What can you do?  

  • First off, seek help. If possible, find a licensed professional who specializes in depression in young people.
  • Listen with an empathetic ear and open heart with no agenda.  
  • Help them develop social support through friends, teammates, and family.
  • Create awareness. Don’t brush it off, don’t think the problem is solved after one discussion. Stay present and supportive in the process of helping them get better.
  • Make sure they are sleeping enough. Sleep is a large cause of a lot of many mental and physical issues.
  • Nutrition. Make sure they are eating a balanced and healthy diet.
  • Laugh a lot; it is medicine for the soul.
  • Volunteer with them. Giving your time, energy, and compassion can create an attitude of gratitude. 
  • Identify and manage their triggers.
  • Find online resources to help deal with stress and depression-like gozen.com.
  • Explore meditation, breathing, and mindfulness. 

If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HOME to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line.

More articles you might enjoy:

When Your Athlete Loses Confidence

How Puberty Affects Your Athlete

My Daughter Quit Sports, and This Is What Youth Sports Parents Need To Know

Primary Sidebar

  • How to Parent Through Youth Sports with One Powerful Phrase: “I Love to Watch You Play”
  • To The Parents Watching Their Last Game
  • ACL Injuries in Female Athletes: Finally, Someone’s Paying Attention
  • College Club Sports: The Best-Kept Secret in Youth Sports
  • When the Joy Fades: How to Help Your Child Through Sports Burnout
  • From Zero Stars to No. 1: What Cam Ward’s Story Teaches Every Youth Sports Family

Categories

  • A Healthy Athlete
  • Sports Parenting
  • Coaching and Team Culture
  • High Performance
  • Lifestyle
  • Mindset

Footer

WHAT'S TRENDING IN YOUTH SPORTS?
Asia Mape Video
follow us
facebook instagram twitter youtube pinterest

We Believe In The Power Of Sports

Injuries in young athletes have soared. Costs to compete have skyrocketed. Kids are quitting in record numbers. But we believe strongly in youth sports, and the many ways it improves our childrens’ lives.

We are here to help parents regain balance and sanity, and to help restore the joy, accomplishment, and core values derived from sports.

Begin your journey today.

 

More About Us

Join the Community

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for the latest news, articles, inspiration, stats, funny videos, tips and everything you need if you are a parent or coach in youth sports, delivered right to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

About the founder

According to a survey conducted over 30 years by two coaches and athletic administrators about what young athletes want to hear most from their parents after a sporting event, it turns out it is: “I love to watch you play.”

Become a Contributor

Advertising/Media

Contact

Privacy Policy/Amazon Affiliate Notification

Copyright 2025 © I Love To Watch You Play. All rights reserved. | Accessibility Feedback | Developed by Tiny Frog Technologies

Join Our Community

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for the latest news, articles, inspiration, stats, funny videos, tips and everything you need if you are a parent or coach in youth sports, delivered right to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for our newsletter
  • Sign up for our weekly newsletter for the latest news, articles, inspiration, stats, funny videos, tips and everything you need if you are a parent or coach in youth sports delivered right to your inbox!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.