Sidelined USA
Supporting, resourcing, and advocating for permanently-sidelined student-athletes

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Insightful articles for helping permanently-sidelined athletes find a meaningful way forward.

Posts tagged athletes with depression
Beyond the Game: Harnessing Your Competitive Edge for Life
Beyond the Game: Harnessing Your Competitive Edge for Life

The room is so very bland.  That icky not-quite-beige, not-quite-white color.  My heart is racing. Tiny beads of sweat are starting to form on my forehead.  I can’t sit still, my legs bouncing in nervous anticipation. The doctor walks in, his face as bland as the walls.  I try to make a read on what’s coming next, but can’t. File folder in hand, he sits down. 

“Well, it is not good news.  Your MRI shows a full thickness tear in your meniscus.  I think we can fix it, but it would be my recommendation that you never skate again.” 

Wait, what?!  What did he just say? 

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Beyond The GameChristine PinaltoSidelined athletes, sidelined athlete, sidelined athletes, sidelined, coaches sidelined athletes, parents sidelined athletes, helping sidelined athletes, forever sidelined, permanently sidelined, Recommendations Permanently Sidelined Athletes, athletic trainers sidelined athletes, career ending injury, Career Ending Injuries, career ending injuries, medical disqualification, end to sports career, Help Athletes Career Ending Injuries, medically disqualified athlete, athletes identity, athletic identity, competitive edge, competitive spirit, athlete for life, athlete, athletes with depression, athletic injury, MDQ athlete, life beyond the game, transition sports, post sports days, sport retirement, loss of sport
Becoming Sidelined: Signs and Symptoms of Depression
Becoming Sidelined: Signs and Symptoms of Depression

The World Health Organization estimates that over 300 million in the world suffer from depression. According to studies of depression in student-athletes, as many as one in five athletes may be depressed. Clearly depression represents an emergent health crisis with a massive scope of impact. Not surprisingly, research has identified depression as a potential outcome of the athlete’s emotional response to becoming permanently-sidelined.

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Becoming Sidelined, Meaningful SupportChristine PinaltoSidelined athletes, sidelined athlete, sidelined athletes, sidelined, coaches sidelined athletes, parents sidelined athletes, parents athletes, helping sidelined athletes, permanently sidelined, athletic trainers sidelined athletes, depression, athletes with depression, athletic injury, Athletes Forced Retirement, Athletes Heart Conditions, athletic trainers, healing athletes, internal healing sports injury, signs symptoms depression, identifying depression, get help depression
Becoming Sidelined: When Depression Turns to Despair
Becoming Sidelined: When Depression Turns to Despair

Being forced to give up your sport due to health reasons can be an extremely discouraging situation. The reality for sidelined athletes is that discouragement can lead to depression and for some, depression can lead to despair. You may be struggling to find your way forward without your sport and feel hopeless or lost. You may be hurting silently and feel like nobody understands. 

It is important for you to know you are not alone. Sidelined USA is made up of a team of athletes, former athletes, professionals, and community members who are all committed to helping you find a way forward that is meaningful to you. 

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Becoming SidelinedChristine Pinaltosuicide risk, suicidal athletes, concern suicide, athletic injury, athletes with depression, athletic identity, Athletes Forced Retirement, parents sidelined athletes, athletic trainers sidelined athletes, sidelined, Sidelined athletes, sidelined athlete, permanently sidelined, helping sidelined athletes, get help depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide ideation, suicidal thoughts athletes
Suicide Prevention and Awareness for Supporters of Sidelined Athletes
Suicide Prevention and Awareness for Supporters of Sidelined Athletes

If you are aware of a sidelined athlete experiencing depression, it is essential to continuously monitor for potential suicidal tendencies. Nothing can be taken for granted. The signs of suicide risk are similar to the signs of depression so it is of utmost importance to be on the front end with suicide prevention awareness and pay close attention to a deepening depression. 

Sidelined USA wishes to equip all members of the athlete’s support network to understand the signs that may indicate additional help and intervention are necessary. To that end, we have compiled the following information and

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Meaningful SupportChristine Pinaltodepression athletes, identifying depression, get help depression, depression, athletes with depression, signs symptoms depression, signs suicide, signs suicidal tendencies, concern suicide, suicidal athletes, know the signs, signs of suicide, signs of suicide risk, suicide risk, mental health athletes, Sidelined athletes, parents sidelined athletes, coaches sidelined athletes, athletic trainers sidelined athletes, athletic trainers
Healthy Adjustment to Career-Ending Injury or Health Condition Part 5: Retaining Physicality
Healthy Adjustment to Career-Ending Injury or Health Condition Part 5: Retaining Physicality

The reality is, for many athletes, the peak performance era in competitive sports is sometimes ended sooner than expected. Whether that be a career-ending injury, repeat injuries that eventually make a comeback next to impossible, a new medical diagnosis, or a series of concussions that threaten to impact long-term brain health, being forced out of a competitive sport due to medical reasons can be devastating.  More than “losing your sport” at this point, you may feel like you’ve also been stripped of your identity. Somehow, you need to make a mental shift and create a new identity. Granted, this can be extremely difficult and can take years. However, there are many ways to make this transition easier. One specific way is to retain your physicality.

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Healthy AdjustmentChristine Pinaltosidelined athlete, Sidelined athletes, sidelined athletes, sidelined, coaches sidelined athletes, parents sidelined athletes, helping sidelined athletes, forever sidelined, permanently sidelined, athletic trainers sidelined athletes, career ending injury, Career Ending Injuries, career ending injuries, cardiomyopathy athletes, end to sports career, Help Athletes Career Ending Injuries, medically disqualified athlete, medical disqualification, life beyond the game, post sports days, athletes, athletic injury, Athletes Forced Retirement, Athletes Heart Conditions, athletes with depression, mental health athletes, mental vigilance, sports psychology, sports coping strategies, sport retirement concussion, loss of sport, transition sports, coping mechanisms sports, early retirement sports, sport retirement, internal coping mechanisms sports