When Stanford senior Katie Meyer, who led the Cardinal to the 2019 national women’s soccer championship, took her own life last week, her parents gave an emotional interview to NBC’s “Today” show in hopes of helping other parents avoid “a parent’s worst nightmare.” They shared that they saw no “red flags” with their daughter, as she seemed upbeat in conversation with them hours before her death. But her mother Gina acknowledged, “There’s so much pressure I think on athletes, right, especially at that high level, balancing academics and a high competitive environment. There is anxiety and there is stress to be perfect, to be the best, to be number one.”

Many student-athletes can relate. In order to rise in their sport, a recent USA Today article explains that “an emphasis is placed on performance instead of overall well-being. There’s often intense pressure to succeed with little consideration on the mental toll it takes to get there. It can become an athlete’s identity and determine their value.”

College can be a stressful time. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) lists anxiety as the most common mental health issue for college students. The pandemic only made things worse, as college students across the board reported rising struggles with depression and anxiety.

Being a student-athlete comes with additional responsibility, time commitments, and increased pressure, which can lead to a feeling of overwhelm. There is also the glare of the public eye when mistakes in athletic competition are played out on social media.

On the flip side, social media can have a positive impact as well. As has been increasingly the case, when athletes and others speak out about their personal battles, they let others who are struggling know they are not alone. As Daniel Eisenberg, Professor of Health Policy and Management at UCLA noted, “There is a lot of research that supports the idea that knowledge and attitudes related to mental health can improve when we learn about other people’s stories.” There is power in opening up about mental health challenges. Each person who shares their journey helps end the stigma around mental health and encourages others to get help.

Read the full USA Today article here.

Henderson, Cydney. “Soccer star Katie Meyer felt stress ‘to be perfect’ before death. Many student-athletes relate.” USA Today, 4 Mar 2022, https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2022/03/04/stanford-katie-meyer-felt-pressure-death-her-mother-says/9377269002/

Photo by John Hefti, USA Today Sports