Complexities of Substance Abuse and Student Athletes
Written by Naza Yammine
Thumbnail Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Student life can be extremely stressful, balancing the burden of tuition and busy schedules filled with studying and working - all on top of trying to maintain a social life. For student athletes, the pressure of succeeding both academically and athletically can be extremely overwhelming. Wanting to perform to the best of their abilities, trying to cope with the stress, or even simply treating injuries all make student athletes vulnerable to substance abuse. Although recreational drug usage may be perceived as common and harmless, it can quickly develop into an addiction, especially for students who rely on them to cope.
Student athletes are held to a very high standard set by team members, students, coaches, and the university. The pressure of consistently performing at their best, and not wanting to disappoint the team or themselves can provoke an overwhelming amount of self-criticism and fear of failure, fogging their minds with negative thoughts. The high demands placed on these students can lead them to begin basing their self-worth on their ability to perform, and can lead to burnout, and heightened symptoms of depression and anxiety. Coping with burnout is difficult for anyone and according to a study by the Canadian Mental Health Association, athletes are no exception. In this study, 827 sports medicine physicians were examined to evaluate the matters athletes were willing to open up about. Student athletes only “often” discussed stress 22.4% of the time, “sometimes” 48% of the time, and “rarely” 22.2% of the time. Instead of identifying their problems and seeking help, athletes may want to find a “quick fix”. To distract themselves from these mind consuming thoughts, and to give themselves the burst of energy enabling them to focus and perform, athletes may turn to different substances, such as alcohol. Dean Kriellars of the University of Manitoba discussed over-indulging with student athletes, and presented the results of the Sports Medicine Council of Manitoba’s Substance Use Survey (SUS), which showed that 60-92% of student athletes reported consuming five or more drinks in one sitting.
The pressure to perform placed on varsity athletes is a heavy burden to carry. They constantly need to be at their best, and feel the need to push off exhaustion and weakness in the quickest and most effective way possible. For this reason, students may begin seeking substances that can be used to enhance their performance - the most common option being steroids. Athletes are known to use this drug, as it helps build muscle, strength, and endurance. The truth is, anabolic steroids take a huge toll on brain development, and can also cause insomnia, delusion, and high blood pressure. Steroid-demand is very high nationally, with steroids being the second-most seized drug at the Canadian border. Hence, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that regular testing is done across the nation. According to a statistics report by the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport (CCES), 1,366 doping control tests were administered to Canadian athletes in 2021.
In addition to the weight of maintaining a perfect performance, the risk of injury is an athlete’s worst nightmare; they can be detrimental to their scholarships, ability to play, and ultimately future careers. When an injury does occur, opioids are often prescribed for pain management. Opioids are known to be highly addictive, especially for athletes that want to deal with the problem as quickly as possible, in order to get back to playing. With their coaches, team, and school relying on them, varsity athletes opt to clutch onto pain killers and ignore the reality of their injury, instead of allowing it to heal properly. In addition, opioids usually induce a high - one that vulnerable athletes can easily become attached to.
The discussion around drug abuse for athletes, and specifically student athletes, is an important one; however, there are certain grey areas in the conversation surrounding substance abuse that must be considered. A great example of this is the use of cannabis, which has not been shown to improve performance, and in actuality has been shown to do the opposite. Considering the absence of performance enhancing benefits and hence no unfair advantage, there should be no reason to ban or test athletes for cannabis. However, this practice continues in some areas. A well-known example is the story of Sha’Carri Richardson, who tested positive for cannabis after winning the 100m at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials and was disqualified from competing in the Tokyo Olympics. Canada has made some progress in this regard; the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sports stopped screening for cannabis for student athletes in U Sports and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association two years after the legalization of marijuana in Canada. Nevertheless, varsity athletes, and students in general, can become dependent on this substance, with 44% of college students admitting to smoking cannabis in 2020, compared to 38% back in 2015. Similar to the previous substances mentioned, it is used as a coping mechanism, and can have lasting impacts on memory and attention.
All in all, the topic of substance abuse should always be approached sensitively, as there are many complexities that should be taken into consideration. However, drug addiction is a real problem that athletes are vulnerable to. The best way to avoid substance abuse and drug addiction is to address the root cause and take care of your mental health. Varsity athletes should not be left to cope alone, and it should be the responsibility of their university to provide them with the proper resources and environment they need to thrive. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, feel free to check out the mental health resources SMU offers.