by Mark Schiffman, M.S.
Last week, Professor Juergen Beckmann, a Sports Psychologist at the Technical University of Munich, reported his latest findings in England*. Beckman conducted three studies of stress, drop-out rates and depression among elite and junior elite athletes. One of the findings was that athletes in individual sports reported higher depressive symptoms than those playing in team sports.
This raises interesting questions, not just about sports, but about any hobby or even profession. Should I play a solo instrument or be a part of a band? Should I open up my own private practice or be part of a group practice? While this may seem intuitive to some, there are benefits to being involved in a group setting rather than always flying solo.
This information may be helpful for beginners in pursuit of a hobby or profession; however, for some, groups and teams are not an option. If my talent is in an individual sport, it isn’t very helpful to tell me to be good at a team sport instead. For those who are in a more individual or private setting and are experiencing depressive symptoms, it may be helpful to ensure that you are receiving some social interactions in other aspects of your life. In addition, it may be helpful to examine the presence of any irrational beliefs (I MUST have company all the time to be happy; Not having human interaction throughout my day is terrible and awful; I can’t stand not having anyone to talk to at work) and try to change them to rational thoughts (I PREFER to have company but I don’t have to; Not having human interactions may be unpleasant but not awful; I could tolerate not having anyone to talk to).
*https://www.sciencedaily.com/
