Why Athletes Continue to Die by Suicide

"As a clinician working in sport and performance psychology, I routinely hear leadership say, "We take mental health seriously." I believe that many mean it. Awareness campaigns are everywhere. Elite athletes are speaking out more openly than ever. Athletic organizations are hiring mental health providers at increasing rates. And yet, athletes at every level of sport continue to die by suicide."

"It matters to say this clearly and carefully before going any further: death by suicide is complex, deeply personal, and never the result of a single cause, provider, or system. Suicide reflects unbearable psychological pain shaped by biological, psychological, social, cultural, and situational forces. No single policy, person, or program can fully prevent every tragedy. And yet... Systems shape risk for suicide, and environments shape safety from it."

"Recent surveillance of U.S. collegiate athlete deaths found that suicide is now the second leading cause of death among NCAA athletes, surpassed only by unintentional injury (Whelan et al., 2024). While athletes overall demonstrate similar or sometimes lower rates of suicidal ideation, attempts, and death compared with non-athletes (Gill et al., 2024; Pichler, 2024), averages conceal the conditions under which athlete risk escalates."

Many athletic organizations have increased mental health resources and public awareness, yet athletes at every level continue to die by suicide. Death by suicide is complex and never the result of a single cause; it reflects unbearable psychological pain shaped by biological, psychological, social, cultural, and situational forces. No single policy, person, or program can fully prevent every tragedy. Systems and environments shape risk and safety for suicide, and when suicide occurs within sport the focus should be on how systems may buffer distress or quietly amplify it. Surveillance shows suicide is a leading cause of death among collegiate athletes, and certain sport-related transitions elevate vulnerability through increased depression, anxiety, and psychological distress.

Read at Psychology Today