Mental health and wellbeing
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The AIS People Development and Wellbeing team has developed some helpful information to support the wellbeing of athletes, coaches and staff during these unprecedented circumstances. While this is a global issue, we appreciate that the nature of high performance sport is unique and the impacts on our high performance community are significant.
These include:
- Fear of falling ill, losing livelihood, the challenges of securing the things you need (i.e. groceries and personal care items) being socially excluded or quarantined.
- Feeling of powerless in protecting loved ones or providing appropriate care and support.
- Feelings of hopelessness, boredom, loneliness and depression due to isolation.
- Uncertainty or ambivalence towards the situation, which may include high performance objectives as well as personal circumstances.
- Some people may find they experience positive emotions such as a sense of pride about finding ways of coping, a sense of resilience or satisfaction from witnessing community altruism and cooperation.
If you are experiencing any of the above responses remember that this is completely normal under the current circumstance.
- Limit media exposure to useful and quality information sources (e.g. the AIS website & Department of Health website)
- Stay connected to your support network to foster a sense of normality, share feelings and relieve stress.
- Practice self-care by doing things that work for you and are consistent with health advisory guidelines e.g. additional physical activity, eat well, follow routine, meditate, do things you enjoy.
- Keep things in perspective by educating yourself about the facts and taking reasonable precautions as advised by reliable health information sources.
- Share useful and quality information to friends and family.
- Be aware of the social stigma and discrimination that can be associated with pandemics and seek to be inclusive.
- Psychological First Aid is a research-informed method to help people (including ourselves) which looks at the practical ways to support people by LOOKING out for people with serious distress reactions, LISTENING to needs and concerns and LINKING people with social support, information and professional help if needed.
- While most people will be able to build on existing coping resources, we can expect that a minority of people will experience a negative response that worsens or does not settle over a period of weeks to months.
- A level of anxiety over coronavirus is completely normal however if the anxiety or stress you are experiencing continues to acutely impact on everyday life, and is not responding the strategies suggested above, a trained mental health professional may be able to help.
AIS Mental Health Referral Network
With this is mind, the AIS Mental Health Referral Network is opening its availability to impacted friends and family networks of our categorised athletes and staff in the high-performance sports that we service. If people would like to seek mental health support or advice from the AIS Mental Health Referral Network, they or someone on their behalf can contact on the below details. The service is covered Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm AET. A qualified clinical psychologist is available to speak to them about their needs and connect them with one of our mental health professionals around Australia.
Mental Health Referral Network Ph: +61 2 6214 1130 Email:mentalhealth@sportaus.gov.au
