When watching football on our screens, we never truly consider the player’s mental health and struggles.
It’s easy to look at a footballer and see the money, glitz and glamour, but sometimes it’s important to look beyond that. In fact, many footballers struggle with mental health and even addiction issues [1].
In fact, a survey carried out by the PFA in 2023 and 2024 found that a staggering two-thirds of players are actively concerned and anxious about injuring themselves and not being able to play.
Likewise, a lot of players are anxious about their early retirement, as most players end their careers in their late 30s [1].
There is no denying that footballers earn a significant amount of money each week, which can sometimes create an unbelievable amount of mental health concerns, sometimes including anxiety and fear [1].
Assessments carried out in the PFA 2023 – 2024 study found that a shocking 68% of players admitted that their fear of injury impacted their mental health [1].
45% were anxious about their on-pitch performance and letting people down, and 41% admitted to experiencing fear of being dropped from their team [1].
Below is an explanation of how life as a footballer can impact your mental health.
Like most careers that pay well, football is a very fast faced career and sport. Change in a football career is inevitable, and sometimes you might need to change clubs and countries to keep up with your career.
You might get new teammates and managers every couple of years [2].
You might be concerned about your place in the team and worry about where you fit in.
Naturally, this amount of frequent change can cause a whole host of anxieties, issues and concerns, some of which are listed below:
Some people embrace change, whereas for others it’s simply, their worst nightmare. In order to feel some form of control, some people might experience an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia in an attempt to control what’s going on in their life.
With footballers who have to keep a close eye on their weight and overall fitness, this can also potentially lead to obsessive compulsive disorder, also known and commonly referred to as OCD.
Players are sometimes on yearlong contracts or loans from other clubs, which brings about a lot of change, stress and anxiety.
Short contracts mean that whilst you might be well paid, you don’t have the same control or stability that people with longer contracts do.
Naturally, this can put a huge strain on your mental health, especially for those in lower leagues where contracts typically tend to be shorter.
Living under short term contracts and agreements your whole career can naturally cause you chronic stress which is not only detrimental to your body but to your mental health as well [2].
Living under chronic stress and depression can impact your heart, and lead to increased risk of a stroke, heart attack, frequent migraines, stomach issues and puts you at risk of developing anxiety and experiencing panic attacks.
Footballers are at high risk of developing stress for a whole host of reasons, some of which are explained below:
There are lots of very stressful and high pressure jobs, such as being a nurse, a doctor, a firefighter or a police officer.
Whilst lots of people might not class being a footballer in the same category, being a football player is in fact a very stressful and high pressure job.
Not only have you got to perform well on the pitch, but you’ve also got to ensure that you’re managing your money in the right way, you’re staying grounded with all the additional income you’re receiving and that you’re being a good role model to your fans.
Lots of footballers suffer from panic disorder, meaning that they might experience panic attacks from time to time, especially just before a game or just after one if they believe that they haven’t performed well enough [2].
A panic disorder can be triggered by lots of different situations as a footballer, some of which are explained further below for you:
As you can see, there are lots of different reasons why someone might struggle with panic attacks as a footballer.
The pressure to perform is only getting more and more, which is why it is important to seek help with any anxieties or worries regardless of who you are.
There is an undeniably strong link between mental health struggles and addiction.
The two are very closely linked, as lots of people who suffer from addiction issues go on to struggle with their mental health, and likewise lots of people who suffer with mental health issues go on to become addicted to certain substances in order to cope [3].
Studies have found that if you struggle with anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, then you are more likely to use drugs as a coping mechanism.
Whilst some drugs and substances might relieve your mental health struggles temporarily, making you feel better in the short term, they will make your mental health symptoms worse over time [3].
If you’re struggling with your mental health, regardless of who you are or how much you own, you need to seek help.
By getting the help you need and deserve, you’ll be able to perform better not only at work, but in life too.
By getting help, you’ll find yourself being a better partner, friend or family member.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, then you should seek therapy.
By seeking therapy, you will get access to a range of different therapy techniques including potentially cognitive behavioural therapy or potentially holistic therapy.
You can opt to gain access to mental health services via the NHS, or alternatively you can go private for your treatment.
You might find that talking about your stressors, worries or concerns leads you to make some changes in your life. Alternatively, you might find that simply talking about your concerns helps you.
If you are struggling with a mental health issue, regardless of who you are, then speak to a professional for help before your issues get worse.
You can speak to a member of our friendly team by calling us for free on 0800 140 4690 or you can visit our website by searching www.rehab4addiction.co.uk
[2] https://www.thepfa.com/players/wellbeing/mental-health-and-football
Boris is our editor-in-chief at Rehab 4 Addiction. Boris is an addiction expert with more than 20 years in the field. His expertise covers a broad of topics relating to addiction, rehab and recovery. Boris is an addiction therapist and assists in the alcohol detox and rehab process. Boris has been featured on a variety of websites, including the BBC, Verywell Mind and Healthline. You can connect with Boris online at LinkedIn or X.com.
