Positive Sports Psychiatry

Abstract

An area where the principles of positive psychiatry may be of value is the emerging field of sports psychiatry. Sports psychiatry aims to deliver and optimize psychiatric care for athletes of all levels. Research indicates that athletes are not immune to mental health issues and prevalence rates for some mental illnesses are similar to the general population. The best studied disorders include eating disorders and substance use disorders. Mental illnesses that are relatively common among athletes include depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Certain characteristics such as resilience and optimism not only play a role in an athlete’s overall well-being, but they also have the potential to increase performance. This chapter presents aspects of positive psychiatry’s role in athletes with mental illness and their performance.