Category: Positive & Competition Psychology

We pick up from our last article on impulse control and addiction disorders. In this article we shall highlight more on addictive disorders.

Addiction

Addiction describes the situation in which someone engages repetitively in a behavior that is negative and may also often lead to ill health impacts. The cycle of addiction may be caused by dysfunction in the brain which may be linked to genetic and environmental factors. Genetic factors may be difficult to control but environmental factors can be controlled. These controllable factors especially among Sports Personalities may have to do with training on handling fame, pressure to perform, and sudden financial windfalls from winning among others.

Continue reading “Irresistible? Impulse Control Disorders and Addictive Disorders (Part 2)”

Have you ever felt a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated action? Or have you ever found yourself having an irresistible desire or tendency usually other than what would be considered rational? This is what can be described as an impulsive action or desire. When it goes beyond the normally accepted, we then talk of an impulse control disorder.

Research indicate that several psychological disorders run across the impulsive control area and include behaviors like lack of control in sexual activity, some forms of crime, gambling, cheating, eating disorders and Social Media addiction among others.

Continue reading “You find it Irresistible? Best Watch Out!”

Sportspersons need to understand their mental health to improve their game focus. This article highlights a story about Immaculate Nangira, a 25-year-old, twice-divorced, woman who has no children, lives alone, and represents the country in International Sport tournaments. She has reported an increase in sadness, crying, social withdrawal and severe self-criticism. She has also reported that she was also binge eat and overuse and abuse laxatives at least once a week. Nangira divorced her first and second husbands and began to develop the said symptoms. The situation worsened until it reached severe levels within a year after the second divorce when she was 24 years.

Continue reading “Understand your Mind, Focus Better”

Part 2: We continue with a review of Mental Health and now focus on the intersection between personality disorders and competitive sports. Normal personality is defined as the characteristic pattern of behaviour and mode of thinking that determines a person’s adjustment to the environment. The style of ones thoughts, one’s behaviour and attitude are key determinants. For sports personalities these are critical areas of concern because apart from the “normal populace” there are factors in their environment which could predispose to change in thinking, behaviour and attitude especially in the instances of gravitating moves from lower economic ladders and the projection into the international space.

Personality includes the intellectual ability, emotional re-activity and the attitudes or motives acquired in the process of growing up.

Continue reading “Personality Disorders and Mental Health in Competitive Sports”