The Professional athletes are modern-day gladiators, their individual talents, persona and celebrity is unprecedented. Professional athletes endure monumental stress during their careers that can be extremely difficult to bear. Whether it’s the physical wear and tear on their bodies or the constant scrutiny they have to perform under, professional athletes are at a very high risk to develop alcohol, drug or prescription drug abuse.
Positive Sobriety Institute welcomes all professional athletes suffering from addiction to receive recovery that is comprehensive, innovative, and tailored to meet the specialized unique needs of your addiction as a professional athlete.
Patterns Of Addictive Behavior,Positive Sobriety Institute
Patterns Of Addictive Behavior
The tragic lives and deaths of many high profile athletes has elevated interest regarding both the physical and mental health of current and former players. Most recently, the growing number of players involved in criminal conduct has far exceeded the probabilities of what could once be dismissed as “an isolated incident” to a “pattern of behavior” that experts fear may rooted in medical or psychiatric disease.
In perhaps the best longitudinal study ever conducted, the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (2008) published the results of well powered study of 1,063 retired NFL players in two age groups-30-49 and age 50 and older. Age-matched controls from a randomized sample of US men were used for comparison. The results were shocking. These data reveal robust disparities between players and non players. Common debilitating symptoms of NFL players include Chronic Pain, Alcohol Abuse, Depression, Suicide, Sleep Apnea, Obesity, and Social isolation:
- Sixty three percent of younger retirees endorsed the statement that they were “grumpy, irritable, or in a bad mood most of the time” and 62 % said they were “discouraged about their life”. This is 20% higher than the average for US men of the same age. Chronic Pain Syndrome
- In a 2009 study published in the journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, (April 2007, Vol. 39, Issue 4, pp. 599-605), researchers surveyed over 3,377 members of the retired NFL Players Association. Nearly half the retired players reported problems with severe and debilitating pain.
- NFL retirees are twice as likely to be heavy drinkers when compared to same aged US men.
- Statistically speaking, virtually all NFL retirees are obese, with a body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30, and 21% of younger retirees are morbidly obese, with a BMI greater than 35.
Clearly not all professional athletes have the same risk factors. High contact sports increase the risk for head injury and CTE. Yet, the psychological problems that active and retired players from all major sports are similar. Short careers, substance abuse, chronic pain, financial stress, family problems, high divorce are common among the elite athletes we see at PSI.
Treatment For Professional Athletes at PSI
Underneath the physical talent celebrity these men and women are a fragile as the rest of us, yet in many cases they endure many more risk factors for psychiatric and addictive disease than their non athlete peers. For this reason, we work closely with their players unions, if involved in a referral, their families and team. Helping them, just be them, is the therapeutic challenge we face. But once this occurs they feel liberated from the burden of celebrity and can get down to working on themselves normal human beings.
As a professional athlete, stress as an addiction trigger is impossible to avoid. But, it can be managed and work to our advantage if mastered. During substance abuse rehabilitation, the clinical team at Positive Sobriety Institute helps athletes achieve balance by maintaining a high level of fitness without surpassing their physical and mental limits.
At Positive Sobriety Institute, our goal is to help professional athletes achieve recovery and return back to their professional athletic careers safely and discreetly. We work to equip our clients with the necessary techniques to manage substance abuse in the face of stressors that once caused addiction to onset. Our impaired athletes program involves a number of integrated therapies including, pain- management education, mindfulness training, physical therapy, coping skills, family counseling, group therapy, individualized counseling, relapse prevention after-care, and so much more. Our treatment specialists are passionate about administering addiction treatment that in a compassionate environment, free of judgment.
Consideration of Your Profession
At Positive Sobriety Institute, our clinical team carefully considers the following demands of the athletic careers when constructing an individualized recovery plan customized to identify the needs of the athlete and target the root of addiction.
Physical Stress. The physical demands of professional athlete careers are monumental. Athletes are often encouraged to train too hard, too fast in order to perform optimally in games. Sometimes training too hard can cause serious injuries or chronic pain that contribute to painkiller addiction or pain-related substance abuse disorders. At Positive Sobriety Institute, we have specialized experienced in helping athletes cope with the physical stressors of their career that catalyze and propel addiction.
Psychological Stress. Athletes endure enormous psychological demands in a career that expects them to perform to their highest standard constantly. Athletes are under extreme scrutiny from their teammates, coach, and the public at large, which can adversely push athletes’ mental limits. The psychological stress imposed by their athletic career can push athletes to rely on substance abuse as a means to cope and escape from daily pressures.
Begin Your Journey Today
Everyone deserves a life unobstructed by the roadblocks of addiction. Let Positive Sobriety Institute help you achieve recovery and return to the athletic profession you love. Call our knowledgeable team of experts today at (312) 312-9000 for more information on our impaired athlete program. We are available 24/7 to speak with you.
We also provide treatment for the following professionals:
- Doctors, Physicians, Nurses, and other healthcare professionals
- Lawyers, Attorneys, and legal professionals
- Business Executives and CEOs
- Dentists
