Book Description

This user-friendly, comprehensive and highly relevant book allows readers to gain a better understanding of mental health issues in sport and exercise. The field of sports psychiatry continues to grow globally at a rapid pace. This, in part, can be explained by the changing culture of sport leading to an appreciation of the role of psychiatric symptoms and syndromes in the world of sport, but also the increasing spread of both highly performance oriented and grass-roots basic sports and the associated risks in large sections of the population. The long-standing stigma attached to mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, suicide, brain injuries, substance-abuse, is being challenged not only by high-profile athletes, but also in public health and general mental health services. The book utilizes an innovative case-based and structured didactical format to provide short summaries of recent research by leading experts in the respective fields, as well as up-to date prevention and clinical guidelines for all relevant disorders in a way that is easily accessible to the large and growing groups interested and active in sports. This work is relevant for all mental health professionals and can also be used by a wider readership including medical doctors, psychologists, athletes and coaches. A second volume covers the role of exercise as an effective treatment for a number of common psychiatric conditions, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders and substance abuse.