Mental Health for Professional Athletes
Active pros, retired pros, elite college athletes. Real stats, specific resources, and guidance written for the particular culture of this profession — not generic advice.
Why mental health looks different here
Identity collapse at retirement. Chronic pain + painkiller exposure. CTE + head injury mental health effects. Plus: locker-room culture that punishes vulnerability.
Profession-specific resources
Built for your job. Not generic EAP. These know the culture.
Most common issues in pro athletes
Based on prevalence data for this profession. Each links to a specific resource on Typical Male.
Licensure / fitness-for-duty — what's real and what's myth
Pro athletes generally don't have licensure issues but DO have contract implications. Team physicians are NOT your confidential clinician — insist on an outside provider.
The PHQ-9 + GAD-7 screeners your doctor uses. Private. Printable for your appointment. Tracks over time.
Take the PHQ-9 →