How Injury Affects Mental Health | Athletes Connected

All-American distance runner Erin Finn twice faced injuries at the height of her athletic success in college. The first one took her away from a top-ranked cross country team, while a second one derailed her chances for her junior year and a trip to the 2016 Olympic Trials. Nevertheless, Erin found purpose in something else that helped redefine who she was beyond running. That revelation made all the difference in her recovery. Now as a fifth-year senior, she’s ready to enjoy her final competitive seasons at Michigan.

[lilbluejean]

It’s devastating to put in so much time and work and have all your progress ripped away from you due to an injury.

[yuvernashgopalerkrishnan]

Maybe it doesn't have to define me
Maybe there are other things I can do
Maybe I could settle

But Dammit nothing brought me more joy than my sport, nothing made me feel more whole, more loved and more worthy than being an athlete. I am an athlete and I WANT it to define me with all my heart. It is home, it is family, it is purpose.
What do you do when you can't find solace in faith?

[rossellat.]

I've had a back injury and had to go through surgery. My neurosurgeon said that I can't go back to running. Running was all I had, it was the only thing that made me happy. And you know what's the worst part of this situation? It's that just a few few people will understand what you're going through. I talk about the fact that I can't run anymore and people are like "Ohh whatever, it's just running! Be grateful that you still can walk and that you are pain-free!" Well, good for you people. To me it wasn't JUST running and yep I do am grateful, but together with grateful I also am resentful, angry and frustrated. I'm just 22 yo and I've just been told to give up on the only thing that truly made me happy during the day... How can you be grateful for that? I hope to find a purpose in life one day, like the girl in the video, something that won't be running, obviously.

[olepoolboy]

Thank you for this , I broke my leg this weekend in my football game and it’s killing me inside because I worked so hard to get where I was but I gotta stay focused on my recovery the comeback is about to be great

[chaos]

im injured now but inshaallah i will never be that stupid again, ,god please heal this injury asap please

[noahgibson]

I clicked on this because I tore my ACL in football practice at Evangel University a private Christian college in the NAIA Divison 1. Amazing it was so awesome great inspiration. Merry Christmas.

[JohnSmith-dqdx]

This shit is SO REAL! I'm going to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time, and I've been doing things that people cannot believe.
A few days ago, I was having so much fun.. expressing myself to the fullest, and during so I sprained a joint in my lower back. I've designed my life.. each hour of everyday is planned to reach my goal. I've sacrificed social life completely, and many other pleasures. To be unable to do what I've built for myself is like getting the whole world taken away. By some miracle, today I was able to snap my misplaced joint back into place and know that my recovery is now DAYS and not MONTHS away. I really believe that my continuous positive self-talk and self belief did wonders. Do not give up, do not allow yourself to think that all is over because you are injured. Program the mind, and the body will follow.

[jamesfujita]

Remember you can still modify workouts to stay active while injured, it ain’t over yet

[marco]

I will never smile and laugh again. I will never be happy again until the moment i can run. Until the moment i can be will myself again

[goofball]

I am a cross country runner at my school. I was improving so much and I felt happy for once. My depression was gone. Than I got injured, lost confidence in myself, had panic attacks before every race after that, and went back into my depression.

[erlindaramirez]

I’m so glad I came across this video. Beginning my cross country season, i was ranked one of the top girls on my team but after surgery at the beginning of the season, I wasn’t so high up there. Now towards the end of it, I’m still not up there but I feel stronger everyday and know that I always have next year to compete.

[AckermanJiuJitsu]

I’ve been dealing with injury the last 1.5 years. Broken nose, concussion, torn meniscus and now tendonosis of the elbow. These videos have been so helpful. Thank you.

[maureenseel]

I am not even a collegiate or professional athlete and I've had two stress fractures over the last year...it's devastating.

[rocwilder]

Thank you for this video. I wish there were more videos like this out there. I’m a runner myself and am sitting out due to partial torn meniscus. It’s elevated anxiety for sure where it’s been super hard for me to be at times. But like this athlete, I too am finding a faith which is helping me slowly to walk through this part of my life. I was so happy to have seen this video! It’s good to know I’m not alone!

[SseriousGgamer]

This is 100% true. When you let your sport be your identity it can charge you to be a grand athlete. But eventually sometime in your career an injury will happen that will knock you out from your sport for a specific amount of time. During this time of recovery, it can lead to devastating depression and dullness since your sport is everything you do. Instead of saying “I am a soccer player” or “I am a basketball player” say “I am someone who plays soccer/ basketball” that way when you’re injured and out for an indefinite amount of time, you do other great and fun things that life has to offer

[caitlynnmilwicz]

I’m a gymnast I was finally getting over fears and then I tore two ligaments in my ankle and one in my knee I was out for four months and I lost so many skills i still haven’t gotten them back and it’s been almost a year since the injury I’m so depressed about and I feel like I can’t talk to anyone about it I’m at the point where I just want to quit even though I’ve dedicated the last 10 years of my life to this sport I’m only 15 I feel like the past 10 years was for nothing the missing out on friends and birthday party’s and school dances and football games I feel like it was all for nothing I just want to be good again I was the number one athlete in my age division and now I’m nothing.

[umarharoon]

I can really feel for her....I am also injured...As a college runner i was doing well in running...but then stress fracture the previous month an i was supposed to stop running...These days are miserable....I cannot run...Those morning runs i remember with cool gusts of wind on my body at 4 am....I really loved them....I cannot do now....Really it disturbs my mental health all day....

[johnshermer]

Well done. Thank you for sharing your story. There many people who have to walk away from their "dream". We need to find different ways that bring us happiness and purpose in life. Blessings.

[rhysnichols]

Can relate so much to this being an injured runner, 8 months of being a vegetable messes with your head! Still trying to get back to being my self again.

[jamesshore]

Its been 3 years since I was injured and I am no longer the same person, and not in a good way. Fight hard to recover before your self resentment overcomes your will to recover; because if you don't it'll either kill you or make you jaded.