Early Indicators:  

We have recently seen and heard in the news about seemingly highly successful, high profile, young athletes experiencing severe mental health difficulties.  In addition to the isolation and stresses associated with the Covid pandemic and the reported, negative influences of social media on our youth, young competitors are being faced with an unprecedented, daunting array of challenges.  It is time to take notice and strive to proactively identify and attempt to address contributing factors before tragedy occurs.   

To experience emotion is to be human.  Young competitors are subject to life’s normal stresses, but they are also vulnerable to stresses associated with competitive activities participation.  Stresses stemming from participation in competitive activities are often internalized and, if unnoticed, can escalate and contribute  to full blown mental health crises.

As parents, coaches and mentors, we must remain constantly sensitive and vigilant to what young competitors are feeling.  Competition can be a wonderful way to learn about and enjoy peer interaction, learn about oneself and to use the lessons learned to set course to engage in healthy, enriched lives that are enjoyable and that contribute to good self image and self esteem.  .       

While the vast majority of youngsters love to play games and compete,  that is not true for every young competitor.  There are those that are hyper driven and expect too much from themselves and/or that are being driven by other people’s expectations.  

If a young competitor exhibits behaviors and/or expresses thoughts of sadness or a sense of overwhelming hopelessness, those are signs that should be heeded.  Parents, coaches and mentors may not initially recognize the depth of a young competitors despair until it is too late.

Please join us as we celebrate and endorse healthy youth competition, but remain acute sensitive to those young competitors that are teetering on the brink of personal disaster – help us shepherd them away from the edge.  

Promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention for young competitors starts with the young competitors themselves.  How do they feel?  Observe closely and ask directly.   

When parents, coaches, teachers, or other adults observe children, they may see behaviors that cause them to be concerned about a particular child or adolescent.  Obviously, some signs are more alarming than others.

When observing young people, generally, a significant warning sign involves change.  This is change from what parents or others know about the usual behaviors of their child to a change that causes concern, if not alarm.

It is change from, maybe, being impulsive to being reckless.

It is change from occasional splurges of anger to frequent and mismanaged anger.

It is change from being sociable and usually relating with others to withdrawing from others.

It is change from appropriate attention to sleeping well and bathing and other self-care activities to not seeming to care about one’s self.

Obviously, change is a major characteristic of children and adolescents.  And, no doubt, normal changes are stressful.  In the age of Covid and negative social media usage influences, everything has become more stressful.  , things have made everything more stressful.   Usually, these kinds of changes sometimes cause concern, but are regarded as stress that will inevitably pass.  Then, there are other changes.  These are ones that involve change, too, but are not signs of normal stressors.  Their importance is that they surprise adults and often alarm them.  The lists below are a partial accounting of some of these changes and signs that need constructive responses from adults. causes concern.

The following signs of concern apply to both suicide and behavioral health concerns.  Please refer to a truncated list of signs that might indicate an impending suicide attempt.   In the event of concern regarding a possible, imminent suicide attempt, please call the crisis number provided provided below and throughout this site.  

Signs of Concern in Adolescents and Young Adults:

• Confused thinking
• Prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)
• Feelings of extreme highs and lows
• Excessive fears, worries and anxieties
• Social withdrawal
• Dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
• Strong feelings of anger
• Strange thoughts (possibly even delusions)
• Seeing or hearing things that aren’t there (hallucinations)  
• Growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Numerous unexplained physical ailments
• Substance abuse

Signs of Concern In Older Children and Pre-Adolescents:

Substance abuse

Inability to cope with problems and daily activities

Changes in sleeping and/or eating habits

Excessive complaints of physical ailments

Changes in ability to manage responsibilities-at home and/or at school

Defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism

Intense fear

Prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death

Frequent outbursts of anger

With almost all children, the stresses of growing up can get to be “too much,” at any specific time.  The question of normative developmental stressors stresses associated with normal age related maturation and development should be taken into account, when considering  warning signs. 

When and What to Ask:

Don’t wait.  If a youngster is making concerning comments regarding their deep unhappiness and/or exhibiting warning signs, if you are not the parent of the child, alert their parents.  If the comments/signs are being made by a young, competitive adult ask them directly if they are contemplating suicide.  It may seem awkward, but the stakes cannot be higher.

If you are a parent, don’t hesitate to ask if your child if they are thin about killing themselves.  Considerable research has overwhelming concluded that asking someone whether they are considering killing themselves WILL NOT contribute to them following through and doing so.  Conversely, the hesitation to asking may be something that you will cause you great regret later.  

If is understandably difficult to pose such a serious question to a young person; but, as stated above, when considering what is at stake it is absolutely necessary.

Be prepared for their reply.  Don’t be intimidated or frightened.  You might find yourself in uncharted waters, but when a person’s life is at stake, it is time to step-up and be accountable.   

If Now you Know, What’s Next?: 

Time after time in life, responsible, caring adults fail to act out of a sense of loyalty, not want to betray another person’s trust.  Trained, experienced professionals are available to help.  If you ask, if you find out, don’t stop there.  There are resources available to your noted throughout this site.  

The BMS Project, Inc.’s mission is to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention for young competitors and one of the primary ways that we pursue our mission is to provide first-step mental health advice, as described throughout this site.  We do not do suicide crisis intervention, but please do the right thing and seek professional assistance.    Ask, listen, then act.  Don’t hesitate.  

If you or a loved one is in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK 1-800-273-8255

Francis A. Martin, Ph.D. and Christopher Nickson, Ph.D.