{"id":17114,"date":"2025-04-13T17:50:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-13T17:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/17114\/"},"modified":"2025-04-13T17:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-13T17:50:07","slug":"doctors-hope-jarren-durans-brave-admission-sparks-mental-health-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/17114\/","title":{"rendered":"Doctors hope Jarren Duran\u2019s brave admission sparks mental health conversation"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul class=\"article__unordered-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.masslive.com\/redsox\/2025\/04\/what-can-teams-and-leagues-do-to-better-impact-the-mental-health-of-their-athletes.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.masslive.com\/redsox\/2025\/04\/what-can-teams-and-leagues-do-to-better-impact-the-mental-health-of-their-athletes.html\"><b>Part 2: What can teams and leagues do to better impact the mental health of their athletes?<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"GQW66INTANDZNLCV5VELPZHALM\">Members of the psychology and psychiatry community, most who have never met Jarren Duran, shared the Red Sox outfielder\u2019s hopes this week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"FOTMQPZXQFAQLBOMIUAFEBDJ7Q\">On Wednesday, the documentary &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/tudum\/articles\/the-clubhouse-year-with-boston-red-sox-release-date-trailer-news\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.netflix.com\/tudum\/articles\/the-clubhouse-year-with-boston-red-sox-release-date-trailer-news\">The Clubhouse: A Year with the Red Sox&#8221; <\/a>was released on Netflix. In the fourth episode, Duran, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.masslive.com\/redsox\/2022\/08\/boston-red-soxs-jarren-duran-opens-up-on-mental-toll-of-struggling-in-majors-ive-been-pretty-low-a-lot-of-fans-want-me-out-of-here.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.masslive.com\/redsox\/2022\/08\/boston-red-soxs-jarren-duran-opens-up-on-mental-toll-of-struggling-in-majors-ive-been-pretty-low-a-lot-of-fans-want-me-out-of-here.html\">who has talked about his mental health struggles in the past,<\/a> admitted he\u2019d previously attempted suicide in 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"I2FQ4HSIVBHDVOHBEEGTC7TC7I\">\u201cI got to the point where I was sitting in my room, I had my rifle, and I had a bullet, and I pulled the trigger and the gun clicked, but nothing happened,\u201d Duran said. \u201cTo this day, I think God just didn\u2019t let me take my own life because I seriously don\u2019t know why it didn\u2019t go off. But I took it as a sign of like, \u2018All right, I might have to be here for a reason.\u2019 So that\u2019s when I started looking myself in the mirror, after the gun didn\u2019t go off. I was like, \u2018All right, do I want to be here or do I not want to be here?\u2018\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"W5IVDDDU5REWHABBFLVFHYSTYM\">When speaking about that admission this week, Duran said he hoped it would help other people, especially kids, who were battling the same feeling and mental health issues that he was.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"LNBATYCAYVDJNJ34ESGWPVUKNU\">His revelation was national news. Around the country, in addition to appreciating Duran\u2019s bravery for coming forward, doctors hoped what he said would spark important conversations about mental health among athletes. His admission created an organic opportunity to increase awareness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"MXTDQDISQ5G3PETPTXF7O4M6X4\">\u201cIt\u2019s a huge thing for him to come out and say this for a couple reasons. First, over the past 20 years, we\u2019ve actually seen the suicide rate among athletes and student athletes double,\u201d Dr. Mena Mirhom said. \u201cWe\u2019re very proactive about not missing an injury physically in so many ways, but we really need to be much more proactive about not missing an injury on a mental health standpoint.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QFWMAEQAUFCC5NJKAG7353WWKE\">Mirhom, a sports psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychology at Columbia University, is the Chief Well-Being Officer for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.athletesforhope.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.athletesforhope.org\/\">Athletes for Hope.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"4YM77ZI2BVBARPEKOSRY4NLERM\">Founded in 2006 by a collection of former athletes including Muhammad Ali, Warrick Dunn, Mia Hamm, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Jeff Gordon, Andre Agassi, and Alonzo Mourning, Athletes for Hope was created to help athletes and former pro athletes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"PXJY4MMQK5BFLHIEPR3EP5UYM4\">In addition to philanthropy and charitable efforts, it\u2019s become a place where athletes can find valuable mental health resources. <\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"GVASEHIFXVDFJMANG56WF7WLXA\">\u201cHow do we help athletes understand their own mental health, and how do we help teams better understand how to support an athlete?\u201d Mirhom said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QMVKB7BI4JBJ7ASNVQH4MKQGUY\">Dr. Tim Willens is the chief of child and adolescent psychology at Mass General Hospital. He\u2019s the former medical director of MGH\u2019s sports psychology program and has treated NFL players. He thought kids especially would benefit from Duran\u2019s revelation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"DARPNDLENJH2RE6UVKL4OX3ZCI\">\u201cAny time, a role model, somebody that you see on TV, who\u2019s at that level, opens up about something that resonates with you, in this case, depression, it really destigmatizes it and helps you feel more likely to get to reach out for assistance, to talk to other people about it, and to see it as more normal human experience as opposed to something that\u2019s inherently flawed in you that there\u2019s no help for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Still battling perceptions<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"4BSPWQP45VD4NFTCZ4633WHFGA\">Fostering awareness and debunking misconceptions is critical.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"NARWZ3ZCCVEOHCKY4QHMOSSLCI\">Awareness has come a long way even in just the last 10 years. Since then, elite athletes across many sports \u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/serenawilliams\/status\/1729557645437046976\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"https:\/\/x.com\/serenawilliams\/status\/1729557645437046976\">Serena Williams,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/kevinlovefund.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/kevinlovefund.org\/\">Kevin Love<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/michael-phelps-my-depression-and-anxiety-is-never-going-to-just-disappear\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/michael-phelps-my-depression-and-anxiety-is-never-going-to-just-disappear\">Michael Phelps<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587340&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.olympics.com%2Fen%2Fnews%2Fsimone-biles-exclusive-mental-health-debate-gymnastics-jade-carey-jordan-chiles-ellie-black\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.olympics.com\/en\/news\/simone-biles-exclusive-mental-health-debate-gymnastics-jade-carey-jordan-chiles-ellie-black\">Simone Biles<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/michael-phelps-my-depression-and-anxiety-is-never-going-to-just-disappear\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/michael-phelps-my-depression-and-anxiety-is-never-going-to-just-disappear\">Brandon Marshall<\/a> \u2014 have revealed their personal struggles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"JBGHCQFYDJEIPBXAA2FKCDGXWE\">Duran\u2019s revelation has rekindled the conversation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"2LHAGCB2W5E6HO4SL3XUMLP5FI\">The challenge for doctors, especially those who work in athletics, has been breaking down long-held misconceptions and pushing through the ethos of certain sports. <\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"U5PD2EUI2NFA5DXWFPJZY6QJZE\">Athletes are as likely to battle mental health issues \u2014 and in some cases more likely \u2014 than anyone else.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"XT2BKHV3KBDX5EHEAO7RDC5ODI\">Dr. Eugene Hong is the chief medical officer for Clemson athletics and the chief physician executive at MUSC Health in South Carolina. He\u2019s worked as a team physician with college teams for over 25 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"DXHV6ZLF2BBTJPWYSYHLD55KHM\">In 2015, he and two other doctors published a paper in the journal \u201cCurrent Sports Medicine Reports\u201d titled \u201cDepression in Athletes\u201d focused on the prevalence and risk factors. The article and others like it helped debunk the idea that because they exercised, athletes were less prone to suffering mental health issues.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"Y4THTIBQTJD7JJO3VT6GZP6IVY\">\u201cEven though there\u2019s much more awareness than there was when I started out,\u201d Hong said, \u201cin my experience and my belief, we\u2019re still battling that perception that because someone\u2019s an athlete, no way could they be depressed, no way could they have thought about suicidal ideation, and that\u2019s simply not the case.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QUIMGIVNDZCQ3FS2UXK4UBNCLU\">\u201cIt\u2019s not true, but there\u2019s this perception that still to this day exists,\u201d he continued. \u201cSo that\u2019s one of the big parts of the value of something like Jarren Duran and the Netflix documentary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"XUFIZJ6Y6VD7NDDYZIIZVIQNPE\">In addition to other life factors that can affect mental health, athletes\u2019 struggles are more public, which was portrayed clearly in Duran\u2019s case. When athletes fail, people see it and often scrutinize it. Duran talked extensively in the Netflix documentary about those challenges. Because being an athlete is so closely tied to identity, the criticisms aren\u2019t just of how they played but who they are.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"OB2KSO6JZZFBXMQTK46KIUXEV4\">\u201cMany athletes at different levels, college, certainly and professional, their self-identity is wrapped up in them being an athlete,\u201d Hong said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"NOGD7BAQINCR3DWS5NNNBEH4JI\">So when a player isn\u2019t playing well or is injured, that impacts how a player perceives themselves and how they believe people perceive them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QBWCXX6U3RGCZP3RSS2OUQDBUY\">Resources to address those issues vary from team to team and league to league. Some teams have psychiatrists and\/or psychologists as part of their staff. Others provide a directory \u2014 often through the players\u2019 associations \u2014 the athletes can access when they need care.<\/p>\n<p>High-functioning, silent suffering<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"FCU4X4PTMJCIJD7XXQ2NQEYRBI\">For teams, the value goes beyond helping someone through a challenging time. There are clear, tangible benefits. An athlete\u2019s performance is likely to improve with their mental health.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"7ROEQYOOXZFV5J2WMZW2UOEEMQ\">\u201cAthletes, by definition, are high-functioning and prone to silent suffering. In the data we see, sometimes up to 40 percent of athletes could be experiencing significant anxiety symptoms that they\u2019ve learned to work with and worth through,\u201d Mirhom said. \u201cIt feels like game jitters or performance pressure. That kind of stuff. But when you unpack that a little bit, it could be up to 1-in-4 athletes are dealing with something that\u2019s diagnosable that we can treat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"327MG6XFEBCEFACOZKBL3H4LYM\">But even players who aren\u2019t experiencing a medical condition can benefit from mental health professionals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QTERIL5J4NGQNPCWZNCFSAEZ64\">\u201cEven if you\u2019re not dealing with something diagnosable, 100 percent of the people on the field or on the court are looking for strategies and more effective ways to sleep and more effective ways to manage their emotional and psychological injury after a loss or not playing well,\u201d Mirhom said. \u201cThese peak performance life skills apply to everybody. You don\u2019t have to have a diagnosis of insomnia to learn more about how to optimize your sleep. You don\u2019t have to have a diagnosis of anxiety to learn better ways to control your heart rate in a moment of difficulty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"AHV4YZF6TNGMDADTD7JPUPTSJY\">Hong said drawing the link between improved mental health and improved performance can help convince skeptical coaches about the value of having psychiatrists and psychologists involved with an organization.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"RYUZKAATDFHXVJVEVBLVV7P46A\">\u201cThese mental health conditions if they go undiagnosed, can impact performance,\u201d he said. \u201cWhy aren\u2019t we paying more attention to this because ultimately the athlete wants to perform as well as they can on the field or the court and the coach wants them to do that too. So it\u2019s a kind of missed opportunity, if that makes sense, and we don\u2019t talk about that enough in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"QVDJHD3H65G6PBIHP5ZN4CWXQA\">A player who is addressing their mental health issues properly is also less likely to turn to substance abuse as a method of coping. Athletes are uniquely vulnerable to substance issues because they\u2019re often prescribed painkillers to help both manage pain and get back into action.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"RPN5TFCB45A6JG3A7M6OLY6BIA\">Being injured can produce not just physical pain but mental health issues related to identity when the ability to play is compromised. The temptation to overuse painkillers to address both issues can be a concern.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"V7FGEI6D5VGSVEDVEIPOGF5QPM\">Incidents of domestic violence among athletes are likely to decrease when the athletes are addressing the root causes of their frustration and anger in a healthier fashion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"UL3KOSUWCZFBNOVTAA7TTKLWJE\">\u201cThis could be a game-changer. When you leave something unaddressed, it\u2019s something that\u2019s building up, that\u2019s stacking one after the other, where it winds up manifesting, is at home, with a partner, with a family member,\u201d Mirhom said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"BE3EBEL4KZG7TLK7GLZX3GXGMA\">Things are improving. Society\u2019s collective understanding of mental health issues has expanded. Sports are following a similar path.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"XPXYHYZKIVFVXPLLAA2LUASD3E\">\u201cWe are moving in the right direction,\u201d Hong said. \u201cJust as sports medicine doc, I want us to move a little faster in terms of providing mental health care.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"JWE52LEB4FCOZBSZNX7GVZVCNQ\">Mirhom was encouraged by the progress and hoped it would continue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"6MDZTBVHI5DNZOAPGGVGANXZ3A\">\u201cOn one hand, this is much better than it was 10 years ago because the conversation wasn\u2019t really happening. Pro athletes, baseball or otherwise, we weren\u2019t talking about mental health or mental injury at all. The progress is good. The advocacy is there. The conversation is there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"MZCKXO23OVH6NIHVFSSXZGHQCM\">\u201cBut for some teams it\u2019s kind of a check box. It\u2019s not substantial enough that it makes a difference. It\u2019s more of being able to say, \u2018Hey we do it too. We care.\u2019 The degree to which a team puts their resources behind it still varies a lot. On an ideal team, when you\u2019re caring about the whole person and making sure that they\u2019re not just doing well as a player, but doing well as a person. You want the psychologist or psychiatrist to pick up trauma, to pick up susceptibility to substance use, to pick up the possibility where there could be suicide involved or major illness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--center\" id=\"QWAPAC5IKBAFZBCHXYRG6YWPFM\">___<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"PFVYCZLFNNHJ5CUNSOAELQE3FU\">If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, you are not alone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"UT6BP4SQWZB6BDN75VCQAQIVPI\">Samaritans Statewide Hotline: Call or Text: 1-877-870-HOPE (4673)<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"6A3HVRLDQVCMVLKARNOZ27DZ7M\">National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) Press # 1 if you are a Veteran<\/p>\n<p class=\"article__paragraph article__paragraph--left\" id=\"GZH7MVN6LVBTJMIYKWMW2U4FVI\">The Trevor Helpline: 866-4-U-TREVOR (488-7386) Support designed for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and young adults<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Part 2: What can teams and leagues do to better impact the mental health of their athletes? Members&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17115,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4317],"tags":[11533,11534,105,218,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-17114","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mental-health","8":"tag-american-league","9":"tag-baseball","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-mental-health","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114331925193607095","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17115"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}