Recent Suicides Highlight the Pressure Student-Athletes Face

Four college student-athletes have died by suicide in the United States since early March, bringing attention to the toll that pressure takes on student-athletes’ mental health. In the U.S., suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students, and it has become a bigger issue among student-athletes in recent years. Between 2004 and 2012 the suicide rate for NCAA athletes was lower than that of the general population. However, data released by the NCAA in May 2020 showed that rates of mental health concerns were up by 150 to 250 percent compared to past data. Schools are working to find ways to encourage student-athletes to make use of mental health services available on campus.



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