Description
Book SynopsisAlthough psychiatrists and other mental health clinicians interested in sports practice already have the necessary general skills to help competitive athletes deal with adversity and the multitude of emotions that sports can elicit, most typically they lack the sports-specific knowledge necessary to truly help these patients and clients. In Sports Psychiatry: Strategies for Life Balance and Peak Performance, the long-time team psychiatrist for the Baltimore Orioles and the Baltimore Ravens intends to remedy this knowledge gap by sharing his unique perspective and rare expertise in cultivating athletes' peak performance while promoting team unity, sound judgement, personal growth, pride, and a lasting sense of accomplishment.
The book:
• Explains sports culture and team structure and function, vividly describing the environment in which elite competition takes place
• Focuses on the shifting nature and intensity of athletes' emotions—the highs that come with success and the lows that accompany poor performance—and describes the situations that magnify them, including injury and pain, media scrutiny, the availability of performance-enhancing drugs, and the fear of both failure and success
• Addresses critical topics, such as regulating energy, recognizing and controlling stress, preparing mentally for performance, and treating mental disorders common to athletes
• Draws on the author's length of experience and clinical observations, the evidence base of sports psychiatry, and fascinating stories of athletes at all levels to inform, teach, encourage, and inspire.
Although written for mental health professionals, the book will also be of great interest to primary care and sports medicine physicians, athletic trainers, team owners and managers—and of course—the athletes themselves. Engaging and insightful, Sports Psychiatry is the go-to book for those in need of practical strategies for supporting and attaining peak performance.
Trade ReviewThere are fascinating chapters on stress recognition and control and energy regulation, which are rich with practical techniques and, along with a chapter on mental preparation, give the intended primary target audience (mental health professionals working in sport) a detailed understanding of the psychological life of athletes. McDuff has provided the template that could ensure the mental health needs of athletes are met in the same comprehensive manner as their physical health needs.
-- Alan Currie * The British Journal of Psychiatry *
Although Dr. McDuff primarily works with the NFL and MLB, not all his cases include star athletes. The cases that involve youth athletes and their families are particularly enlightening and will likely be directly applicable If someone is looking for a text that is concise, relevant, and enjoyable to read, Sports Psychiatry would be a very good choice.
-- Howard L. Forman, M.D. * Psychiatric Times *
One wishes for an insightful, clinically oriented discussion of the sports culture. David R. McDuff, M.D., the longtime team psychiatrist for the Baltimore Ravens and Baltimore Orioles and countless other athletic teams, has provided just such a clinical guide There is much to recommend this book to virtually every practicing mental health professional. It is highly readable and tightly organized. Each lecture follows a logic that is evident in such a way that one is never lost, and each ends with a substantive conclusion, a summary of key clinical points, and a brief list of references. Such features make the book an easy reference guide when seeking help with a particular problem, patient, or team. A wealth of case studies accompanies various situations described, thereby illustrating the clinical applicability of different interventions.
-- George Bolian, M.D. * Journal of Clinical Psychiatry April 2013 *
Table of ContentsForeword
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. Scope of Practice
Chapter 2. Mental Preparation
Chapter 3. Stress Recognition and Control
Chapter 4. Energy Regulation
Chapter 5. Substance Use and Abuse
Chapter 6. Injury Recovery and Pain Control
Chapter 7. Common Mental Disorders
Chapter 8. Teams, Medical Staff, and Sports Leadership
Chapter 9. Developmental and Cultural Competence
Chapter 10. Evidence Base and Future Directions
Index
