Workshop: The Emerging Role of Addiction Psychiatry in Sports Mental Health and Performance-The Emerging Role of Addiction Psychiatry in Sports Mental Health and Performance

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In a workshop organized by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP) on a Saturday afternoon, Dr. Timothy Fong, a psychiatry professor at UCLA and the president-elect of AAAP, introduces the first-ever session focused on sports psychiatry. The workshop aims to explore the intersection of sports with addiction psychiatry, discussing the trends, challenges, and opportunities for psychiatrists in this field.<br /><br />Dr. Eric Morris, a former president of the International Society for Sports Psychiatry, emphasizes that sports participation generally reduces substance use among youth. He cites data from the NCAA, showing that although student-athletes use substances like cannabis and alcohol less than their peers, risk-taking behaviors can increase substance abuse among athletes who do use drugs or alcohol. Morris discusses the culture in sports that may contribute to substance use, such as hazing and recruiting practices, and highlights the importance of addressing team culture and individual motivation in prevention efforts.<br /><br />Dr. Larry Westreich then discusses performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), touching on substances like anabolic steroids and stimulants, and the challenges of drug testing and therapeutic use exemptions in sports. He highlights the ethical and health concerns, including the consequences faced by young athletes using steroids. Westreich underlines the misleading approaches of many anti-aging clinics prescribing human growth hormone and pushes for rigorous application of fair testing procedures in sports.<br /><br />Finally, Dr. Fong elaborates on gambling issues in sports, especially focusing on how legalized sports betting in the United States raises concerns about gambling addiction among athletes. He discusses the implications for mental health, elaborates on treatment approaches for gambling disorders, and highlights the increasing harassment athletes face due to the sports betting surge, stressing on the need for comprehensive workplace gambling policies to mitigate these challenges effectively. The overarching theme is the need for addiction psychiatrists to address specific sports-related mental health issues, harnessing their expertise to better support athletes and prevent addiction.

Keywords

American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry

sports psychiatry

addiction psychiatry

substance use

NCAA

team culture

performance-enhancing drugs

anabolic steroids

drug testing

gambling addiction

sports betting

mental health

athletes

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