Sports Obsessed

One of the primary reasons why athletes cannot afford to underperform is because many people are looking up to them. Therefore, even when they need to take care of themselves, they will keep practicing and performing to keep impressing their fans.

Due to this, athletes take some substances that will help them to keep performing and put stress at bay. Some of these substances are alcohol and drugs which come in varieties.

Here are some surefire ways that prevent addiction among athletes

• Education

Some athletes get addicted because they don’t have the right education. Once they know how to effectively handle stress and their mental health, they won’t need to rely on performance-enhancing drugs to get better.

In addition, they will be able to educate fellow athletes on how they can take care of their health instead of relying on substances to help them.

• Public advocation

Another way to prevent this addiction is to undergo public advocation against the ills of addiction. Sometimes, when there is no public awareness about something, people tend to overlook it.

However, if there is a profound sensitization about the damage that addiction does to the body, people will be able to take actionable steps, like stopping their use. Athletes too are not left out, as they will be discouraged from continuing their addiction and seeking help.

• Seek help

If help is not sought for addicted athletes, they could influence their fellow athletes. Hence, addicted athletes must receive all the help they can get, so that others will not be roped into their addicted lifestyle.

Athletes need profound help so that they don’t end up destroying their lives. Many athletes go to great lengths so that they can remain relevant in the eyes of their fans and the world. However, with proper sensitization, they will understand how to better care for their health and keep performing optimally.

Sportsmen need healthy life practices for them to remain relevant for a long time. If they don’t take care of their health, they might resort to unhealthy habits that would make them retire early, or develop health problems.  

Here are some essential health tips that sportsmen need

• Proper rest

No matter how challenging their career is, sportsmen need enough time for themselves. They must have a sufficient amount of sleep for their body tissues to regenerate quickly over time. Therefore, each time they want to practice or participate in a game, they are reinvigorated as ever.

• Good nutrition

Sportsmen need to have access to well-balanced meals. They should cut down on fast food because of the high concentration of processed sugar and fat content. Rather, they should focus on taking more fruits and vegetables.

Furthermore, they need lean proteins and grains which should be taken intermittently. Before any competition or practice, they should avoid taking heavy meals so that they would be able to perform optimally.

• Exercise

One of the privileges of being a sportsman is, it is easy to transition into exercise mode anytime you want. However, sportsmen who do not take their physical activity seriously, would not be able to stand the ever-increasing competition, as they would be out of use for their team.

• Hydration

Many sports health professionals will advise that sportsmen should take their hydration seriously. For instance, before any competition, sportsmen need to hydrate properly two to three days before. This would help replenish the electrolytes that are important for smooth cellular function.

For athletes to perform excellently well, they need to be properly hydrated.

• Mental health

Mental health is an integral part of health that many sportsmen underrate. This is why they need to regularly check on their mental health with counselors and therapists. They will be downtimes in their careers that can cause some mental health problems. This is one of those moments when they need a counselor to come through

Sports is one of the professions that comes with a great deal of stress. Hence, athletes or sportsmen always need to always consider their stress levels.

If a sportsman does not deal with stress effectively, they will have their health to blame. A sportsman who knows how to handle his stress levels would barely have a drop in performance.

One thing you need to know is, stress also has the capacity to affect the mental health of an athlete. The reason for this is, the demands of the sporting world is great. Hence, to keep up with this, it is important to implement features like frequent exercise, regular practice and undergoing series of training programs.

When sportsmen undergo injuries, it is important for them to receive prompt treatment to prevent prolonged injuries that could affect their overall state of health.

Closely related to this, it is vital for sportsmen to receive rehab treatment because of their mental health. Who knows, their mental health could be deteriorating and they would be unaware.

Rehab treatment for mental health comes in handy for all forms of pressure that result from performance on the field of play. Sportsmen have fans who look up to them so they always expect them to perform optimally in every game.

This is not possible however because there are times when the sportsman would need to take a break, or perform on the average. In sports, there is a time to excel and there is a time to lay low.

Fans do not understand this and that is why sportsmen are always pressured to give their best.

Sportsmen who are affected by criticisms given by their fans have a tendency to be anxious and depressed. And if these issues are not taken care off, it can have an overall negative impact on their health.

Sportsmen also want to perform optimally against their counterparts and that is why they will always push themselves over the edge to achieve this.  

Being a sportsman is not enough, it is important to know how to get better which will take you to the peak of your career. This is not an easy task to accomplish but it is possible. When you put these tips in place, you will discover that your proficiency will increase.

The very first tip you need to put in place is fixing feasible goals. One mistake that many sportsmen make is, they do not set realistic goals.

Eventually, they realize that these goals are unattainable and by that time, it would have been too late to make amends. So, it is important to categorize your goals into long-term and short-term goals.

It is also important to work on the basics of your specific area. Being a sportsman, you have a skillset and there are some fundamentals. It is vital to ensure you revisit these fundamentals on a regular basis.

A good number of sportsmen usually think that there is no need revisiting the basic techniques; this is a wrong notion.

In addition, it is important to put a good nutritional plan in place. Usually, we do not know how to get it done, so it is best to reach out to a nutritionist who would help you to fix this. Nutrition is essential to enhancing your health as a sportsman. Overall, it increases your productivity.

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You also need to keep tabs on your statistics and achievements as they would help you to set personal and career records.

One of the reasons why statistics and achievements are important is because, they help you to monitor how well you are progressing. So, during the period of your training, it would help you to direct your efforts properly.

Every effective sportsman needs a coach who would always look out for them. It is important to always heed the words of your coach because of the level of experience they possess. Being effective as a sportsman is a voluminous task but putting all these tips in place are needed.

E

Engaging in sporting activities comes with a lot of benefits particularly to the health. It could serve as a form of exercise in other to keep fit and it is viewed as a helpful way of maintaining a balance to the physical condition of the body. However, there is a risk in neglecting the addictive effect partaking in such sporting activities can pose and it is important to be aware of the dangers that exist in involving in sports excessively.

It is usually difficult to understand and be aware addiction to sports is real because there are numerous positive benefits one can obtain from it. There is always a compulsive need to exercise notwithstanding one’s health, relationships and other valuable commitments in life. Although the word addiction is known to be a negative tendency but recently, medical practitioners and therapists have started using the word sports addiction.

A research has been taken to find out the feelings that are attached to engaging in sports by athletes. Many have spoken of the intense sensations they acquire from doing sports. The high emotional and psychological responses they receive after completing any sporting activity is similar to that obtained with substance abuse.

The stress level connected with sports does not give an athlete enough time to heal or recover from a previous sporting activity. There is a need for regular work out and training in other to stay fit. Also, the demands that comes with sporting can prove detrimental to the health and well-being of the athlete. At worst cases, sports addict experience anxiety and depression and even heart attacks.

In addition to the physical damage caused by sporting addiction, there are also psychological implications of being a sport addict. Issues might arise from neglecting other commitments and responsibilities in preference to sports and this can lead to emotional trauma in the long run. Although, sport is known to be an activity used to improve mental and physical well-being, there is need to be a balance with other aspects of life that is connected with your welfare as a person.

People who participate in sports have a lot to gain such as enhanced health fitness, reduces the risk of mental disorders and other psychological problems. But those who go to the extreme and overwork the body probably because they are obsessed with sport can be regarded as sport addicts. The damage attached to being a sport addict is a huge setback because one will not see the positive benefits that the game brings but a means to attain excellence and perfection.

There are a variety of sports that people become obsessed with, but there are some sports addictions that are more universal than others. Below is a list of some of the most common global sports obsessions.

• Baseball is mostly central to the United States, although it is being seen in Japan and several other countries around the world more and more. It is known as one of the great American traditions and people of the United States become very invested in it, especially during playoffs and World Series times. Baseball, along with football and basketball, are considered the three sports of choice in America. Often called the “thinking man’s game,” baseball is slower moving than some of the other popular sports.
• Basketball is an internationally celebrated sport that originated in the United States of America and spread to a great many corners of the world, including the Philippines, South America and parts of Africa. It is celebrated as one of the big three popular sports in the United States, along with football and baseball. Basketball arguably calls for the most agility and quick thinking of the big U.S. sports.
• Football, as defined by Americans, is the highest grossing sport in the United States. Superbowl Sunday, the climax of the football season, is treated like a holiday throughout North America, with businesses closing early to participate in. Food sales sky rocketing in honor of this occasion to support parties and other events.
• Hockey, the favorite sport of Canadians, is a northern tradition set on ice. While hockey is big in Canada and the United States, it is considered a source of national pride for Canadians. There is no game that captures the hearts and imaginations of Canadians more than hockey. It is also Canada’s biggest money making sport as people clamor over attendance of the championships, finals and Stanley Cup of the National Hockey League.
• Soccer is considered by far the most popular sport around the globe. There is no other sport as internationally beloved as soccer. From South America to Europe and beyond, soccer draws the biggest crowds and the loyalist following of all professional sports.

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There is no denying that sports are widely celebrated across the globe, and for good reason. They are exciting and active and promote a healthy and fair expression of competition. Sporting competitions are universally the largest crowd draws in the world. The positive side of this is that sports keep people busy and happy. The negative side is, just like with anything that humans enjoy, we turn it into an obsession and overindulge in it. Sports is one of the world’s most common addictions. However, unlike with alcohol or gambling, sports addiction is culturally acceptable and socially embraced. However, it is undeniable that we are universally obsessed with it. Just look at society’s treatment of sports and sports figures:

• Professional athletes are some of the highest paid professionals there are. With salaries in the tens of millions or higher, professional athletes can afford to live like royalty, which is how they are treated. Meanwhile, working professionals like teachers face budget cuts annually and salaries that are reduced down to the low tens of thousands. It is obvious what our culture values and puts its money towards.
• We honor sporting events by coming together in gatherings of up to 100,000. This is the equivalent of the entire population of a midsize city taking an interest in one event. Sporting events have the ability to draw a crowd unlike any other event we come together for, proving our collective cultural value on sports.
• Sports are so prevalent in our culture that they can be found in the mainstream media even in venues that are not devoted to sports, such as any number of news websites and bars. Sports are such a popular conversation topic in our culture that current sports information can be found in completely unlikely places.
• We arguably even go as far as to build shrines, temples and statues to honor our fondness of sports. The stadiums we build resemble ancient coliseums that are meant to support crowds the size of cities. We have hall of fame exhibits and museums devoted to our most memorable sporting events and figures. And statue likenesses of our great sports figures can be found outside these facilities, as well as in other historic landmark locations.

Sports fanaticism is commonly observed in our culture. In fact, it is completely socially acceptable to be a self proclaimed sports nut and live a life invested into sports trivia, attendance, competitions and memorabilia. Sports is a global pass time and is meant to be enjoyed, but can there be such a thing as taking it too far? Many people who have been subjected to sports fanaticism would say indeed yes. When sports enthusiasm begins to resemble obsession or addiction, it is time to take a step back and observe one’s own behavior.

A sports fanatic who has taken their obsession too far will be overly involved in the world of sports. If the person is able bodied, chances are they frequently play sports. Whichever sport or sports they are devoted to, they are unlikely to ever miss a game. They attend games in person or watch them at home on the television, often with other sports fanatics. Their favorite conversation is sports and they tend to predictably bring sports into every conversation. They often spend a fortune collecting sports memorabilia, and spend a significant amount of time memorizing sports trivia.

Being overly emotional about sports is a common attribute of sports obsession. Extreme emotions should be reserved for major life events, both good and bad. A sports maniac, however, will have emotional responses to sporting events that will be disproportionate, and will equate to major personal events. This can become very stressful and grating on the people in close proximity of the individual. Becoming emotional over things that do not warrant strong emotions is a sign of immaturity.

Another trademark of sports fanaticism is negligence of personal responsibilities due to over involvement with sports. Being a fan of sports is harmless, but being a fanatic uses time, money and energy that is often better spent on more meaningful things. Personal responsibilities that are neglected may include work, school, personal relationships or other life obligations. Keeping up with this can be very damaging on your professional standing, how secure your friends and family feel with you and on your own perception of yourself.

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We all have someone in our lives who is a sports fanatic: the person who never misses a game even if they have to cancel on another event, who defaults to sports to start any conversation and who becomes overly emotional about a win or a loss. Now consider the signs and symptoms of addiction: other life obligations fall away in order to focus on the object of addiction, energy, focus and thought primarily go to the object of addiction and inappropriate emotional reactions are experienced over the object of addiction, among other things. Sports addiction goes under the radar in our culture because it is a widely celebrated passtime, but it is still an addiction and it can be toxic to relationships and other areas of life.

Sports addiction is simply when someone places sports at too high a level of importance. Sports addiction is not gender specific, although it typically effects males more than females. Someone qualifies as a sports addict when they are giving so much of their time, thought and energy to sports that other areas of their life begin to suffer. And just like with any other addiction, giving all your time, thought and energy to one thing gives you a life of imbalance.

Sports fanatacism is usually overlooked as a harmless passtime, but in reality, it can become hurtful to the people and the areas of life that are not about sports. In the case of a romantic partner, feelings of neglect are very common when one partner is addicted to sports, and feelings of disconnect usually begin to stir. Frequently, a sport’s addicts other areas of interest fall away to give them more time to focus on sports. There are even instances when a person’s performance at work or in school declines due to excessive focus on sports.

It would seem that a cultural problem such as this would be addressed, but in actuality, it is allowed to flourish. Interest in sports is so popular and addiction to sports is so widespread that the addiction is protected instead of corrected. Those who struggle in relationships with sports addicts are not validated but instead made to feel that they are overreacting. Despite how many people, women in particular, have expressed frustration with this addictive behavior, there is little support for change.

 

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