Grim Drive: Recent Episodes
Grim Drive
The Grim Drive Podcast explores mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes. Pro athletes come forward more and more with stories about their mental health journey, what they have endured, and how they managed to push through. This only started recently and reflects a mental health stigma that continues to be reduced. Pro athletes also leverage mindset to achieve peak performance, as well as representing (and often driving) elements of popular culture through the use of social media, technology, and personal branding. This places athletes front and center as role models for people of all ages, giving them a platform that can reach many to deliver important information.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we have the pleasure of interviewing Darius Miller.. Darius MIller (@DMillerKY on Twitter) is an American professional basketball player who played in the (NBA) from 2012-2021 for the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New […]
The post Episode 50: Interview with Darius Miller first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Depression, Joy, and the In-Between. Upon doing a Twitter poll a couple months back where we asked what topics people would want us to cover on the podcast, we got a lot […]
The post Episode 49: Depression, Joy, and the In-Between first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we had the pleasure of interviewing Pro Wrestler Levi Cooper. Levi is an American Professional Wrestler, best known for his time in the WWE, where he performs under the ring name “Tucker.” He wrestled […]
The post Episode 48: Interview with Pro Wrestler Levi Cooper, aka Tucker first appeared on Grim Drive.
0:00 (Intros) 10:21 (Outline of the Episode) 22:55 (Mental Health in the Metaverse) 1:15:55 (How to Stay Healthy in Web3) During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss how to stay healthy in the emerging web3 world and we also […]
The post Episode 47: Staying Healthy in Web3 + Talking NFTs first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss the SECOND season of Ted Lasso, a show on AppleTV. If you missed the first season episode, it is also on Apple/Spotify and here is the Youtube link: https://youtu.be/onaKgXx5OJk Every 10 episodes […]
The post Episode 46: Ted Lasso Season 2 first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss the first season of Ted Lasso, a show on AppleTV. Every 10 episodes or so we deviate from the typical episode format and have a little fun. We were a bit overdue […]
The post Episode 45: Ted Lasso Season 1 first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Confidence. Confidence, or the ability to be self-secure, is a skill that can come in handy in order to maintain overall wellness and balance. In our work with young guys and athletes […]
The post Episode 44: Confidence first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss the Youth Mental Health Epidemic in the United States. Recently Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General of the United States designated the collective mental health of youth in the US an epidemic. With […]
The post Episode 43: Youth Mental Health Epidemic first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Mental Health + Education. The importance of education with regard to self awareness and mental health has been a topic we have returned to in different ways quite a few times. In […]
The post Episode 42: Mental Health + Education first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Mental Health + Culture. We have covered the overlap between Sports + Mental Health quite a bit on this podcast, as that is the main mission behind the show. In this episode, […]
The post Episode 41: Mental Health + Culture first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Dopamine + Culture. There has been more and more talk about “web3” recently, talk which will only continue to grow louder. We haven’t quite delved into how web3 will potentially dovetail with […]
The post Episode 40: Dopamine + Culture first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss The Chicago Blackhawks + Trauma. In 2010, Kyle Beach was a 20 year old player on the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL, brought up for the playoff run towards the end of […]
The post Episode 39: Chicago Blackhawks + Trauma first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we interview Nathan Baugh of Sideline Sprint. While we focus on looking at Mental Health through the lens of Sports on this podcast, mental health is a concept that exists on a spectrum. Most […]
The post Episode 38: Interview with Nathan Baugh of Sideline Sprint first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss athlete salaries. Whether it is the twitter-verse filled with fans opining about athletes being overpaid or important discussions at the national level about male v. female National Soccer Team player compensation, the […]
The post Episode 37: Athlete Salaries first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and relationships. Dynasties don’t happen very often, and aside from a few select haters out there, everyone can acknowledge that the 20 years and six championships won by […]
The post Episode 36: Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Relationships first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Ben Simmons. We always admit our Boston sports team allegiance with full transparency, so it goes with that territory to be biased against certain teams. The Philadelphia 76ers are without a doubt […]
The post Episode 35: Ben Simmons first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Gamesmanship. In the most recent Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, a runner in the marathon race reached out to grab a cup of water while running. The second in a line of […]
The post Episode 34: Gamesmanship first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Ime Udoka + New Jobs. Transitions are difficult in any aspect of life. Starting a new job is one of the most common types of transitions people go through, involving adjustment to […]
The post Episode 33: Ime Udoka + New Jobs first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Jackie Mac + Alex Caruso . We already did a previous episode covering Jackie Mac, but when a legend retires it’s important to show some respect and recognition. In this episode, we […]
The post Episode 32: Jackie Mac + Alex Caruso first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Evander Kane. Evander Kane has been in the news recently due to allegations about gambling on hockey, claims he denies. He has also been dealing with financial hardship recently due to gambling […]
The post Episode 31: Evander Kane first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Simone Biles and recent stories from the Olympic Games. We have discussed Simone Biles in a previous episode, titled “Simone Biles + Mental Fitness” (check it out here: https://youtu.be/6CmTQt4bfsU ). We recently went on […]
The post Episode 30: Simone Biles first appeared on Grim Drive.
During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we have the pleasure of interviewing Alan Chazaro, Columnist + Poet. Alan Chazaro is originally from the Bay Area in California. Alan is a super authentic and talented individual, who creates and connects with […]
The post Episode 29: Interview with Alan Chazaro, Columnist + Poet first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, delves into some thoughts on the Olympics and more Matt Finn, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, is an Architect and Social Entrepreneur who founded Cognitive Design in 2016, a consulting and design firm that works with […]
The post Episode 28: Interview with Matt Finn first appeared on Grim Drive.
Thoughts on the Olympics This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, delves into some thoughts on the Olympics and more This episode is on the shorter side, covering a review of our first interview that Jon did last episode with Strength Coach […]
The post Thoughts on the Olympics first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode explores the intersectionality between physical and mental health and its impact on well-being. We were joined by Marco Sanchez. Marco has dedicated his life to enhancing his clients’ performance and well-being through sports and functional training. As a coach, trainer, manual therapist, educator and innovator, Marco is one of the industry’s most dynamic […]
The post Episode 27: Interview with Strength Coach Marco Sanchez first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Momentum in Sports+Life. Analytics in sports has become quite big over the last 15 years, starting with baseball (popularized by books/movies like Moneyball) and then working their way into other sports, […]
The post Episode 26: Momentum in Sports+Life first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Social Media. Social Media is largely unavoidable for most people. Whether it is to keep up to speed with news, stay updated with family and friends, running a business, or building […]
The post Episode 25: Social Media first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Identity + Profession. Rod Benson, a former professional basketball player himself and current columnist, write an article for the SFGate about his time playing basketball and how that shaped his identity […]
The post Episode 24: Identity + Profession first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Interviews + Fan Behavior. *There is about fifteen seconds early on in the episode where we discuss the episode topic that is cut out, we apologize! In many recent sporting events, […]
The post Episode 23: Interviews + Fan Behavior first appeared on Grim Drive.
Episode 22: Youth Sports + Mental Health This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Youth Sports + Mental Health . Sports are an important part of so many lives. Whether a person is playing an individual or team […]
The post Episode 22: Youth Sports + Mental Health first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Payton Pritchard + Grim Drive. Payton Pritchard just finished his rookie season on the Boston Celtics, after being taken with the 26th pick in the first round of the 2020 NBA […]
The post Episode 21: Payton Pritchard + Grim Drive first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, discusses some slight shifts in the podcast moving forward and what listeners can expect. We are excited about the new format and look forward to getting feedback! *The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for […]
The post Going Forward first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, recaps our key takeaways from episodes 11-20 of the podcast. *The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We […]
The post Episode 11-20 recap first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Tiger Woods. Tiger is undoubtedly one of the most famous athletes of all time, regardless of sport, and was single handedly responsible for making golf cool in the late 90’s and […]
The post Episode 20: Tiger Woods first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at David Beckham + OCD. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), is a both a condition and an overused acronym. With the latter, the phrased adjective “I’m so OCD with…” is often thrown around […]
The post Episode 19: David Beckham + OCD first appeared on Grim Drive.
Episode 18 (Julie/Zach Ertz + Relationships): This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Julie/Zach Ertz + Relationships. Relationships are central to what makes us human, weaving through all aspects of life, from family to friends to the workplace […]
The post Episode 18: Julie/Zach Ertz + Relationships first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Jackie MacMullan + Mental Health in Sports Media. Jackie MacMullan is an American freelance newspaper sportswriter and NBA columnist for the sports website ESPN.com, and also works for the Ringer. She […]
The post Episode 17: Jackie MacMullan + Mental Health in Sports Media first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Brandon Marshall + Borderline Personality Disorder. Brandon Marshall was one of the first athletes to speak up about his own mental health challenges and the overall importance of mental health awareness […]
The post Episode 16: Brandon Marshall + Borderline Personality Disorder first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Ben Gordon + Bipolar. Ben Gordon was as stoic as they come on the basketball court. Rarely did he show emotion, stealthily taking down his opponents, never seeming to care if […]
The post Episode 15: Ben Gordon + Bipolar first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Chamique Holdsclaw + Adjustment. Chamique Holdsclaw became a household name while at the University of Tennessee from 1995-1999. Playing under famed coach Pat Summit, Chamique was an artist on the basketball […]
The post Episode 14: Chamique Holdsclaw + Adjustment first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Simone Biles + Mental Fitness. There are few athletes who excel to such a high level at their craft, that fans can remember years and sometimes decades after, where they were […]
The post Episode 13: Simone Biles + Mental Fitness first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Justin Forsett + Financial Literacy. The running back position requires vision, to see the blocking schemes unfold and spot out the holes to run through. Justin Forsett has put this vision […]
The post Episode 12: Justin Forsett + Financial Literacy first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Kyrie Irving + Communication. Kyrie Irving is a wizard with the basketball, best handles of all time, in complete control with balance and precision at all times. His image off of […]
The post Episode 11: Kyrie Irving + Communication first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, recaps the first 10 episodes of the podcast. Creating something new, or attempting to learn a new skill, is hard work and often not glamorous in the beginning. Creating a podcast is no different. We […]
The post Episode 10.5a: Recap of 1-10 first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Barstool Sports + Masculinity. Every 10th episode, we plan to go a bit outside the box to cover something we find interesting that relates to sports in some way but may […]
The post Episode 10: Barstool Sports + Masculinity first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Hayden Hurst + Suicide Prevention. As a part of our last episode, we discussed how a post-game on-field moment between Dak Prescott and Hayden Hurst showed similarities to the one line […]
The post Episode 9: Hayden Hurst + Suicide Prevention first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Dak Prescott + Recovery. One of the most notable recovery experiences we have come across has been that of NFL quarterback Alex Smith, whose experience was documented in the recent ESPN […]
The post Episode 8: Dak Prescott + Recovery first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Robin Lehner + PTSD. Our previous episode covered Josh Gordon + Substance Abuse, during which we discussed the prevalence of underlying trauma in those struggling with substance abuse or addiction issues […]
The post Episode 7: Robin Lehner + PTSD first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Josh Gordon + Substance Misuse. Substance Misuse is a problem that has affected many, either individually or through a family member. The statistics, particularly in the US, are trending in the […]
The post Episode 6: Josh Gordon + Substance Misuse first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Brad Marchand + Reputation. Reputation, in the case of Brad Marchand and some other notorious athletes, can often stick with them for a very long time. These players may be doing […]
The post Episode 5:Brad Marchand + Reputation first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Michael Phelps + ADHD.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) reflects a difference in neurobiological functioning. Although the terms “deficit” and disorder” are in the diagnostic term, we have found that this unfairly stigmatizes those with ADHD. Those with ADHD are often highly intelligent, creative, and great at problem solving. When the superpowers that come with ADHD are harnessed, including the ability to hyperfocus, and the path toward a negative self-image is averted, those with ADHD are often extremely successful. The path to integrating ADHD and playing to strengths is key, otherwise, those with ADHD tend to build shame more and more, which is what leads to common secondary issues like anxiety and depression.
This episode delves into Michael Phelps’ experience with ADHD. We always try to bring light to issues that led to an athlete speaking out on mental health. Michael Phelps was first diagnosed with ADHD in the 6th grade. And while he often discusses depression and substance use with regard to mental health, the first diagnosis of ADHD is often the foundation that leads to many secondary mental health issues forming on top.
As a reminder to listeners, please click subscribe on your podcast listening platform and rate+review the podcast if possible, we really appreciate all feedback, so much that we are offering a pair of FREE Celtics tickets to a game in 2021-2022 for one lucky person out of all who write an HONEST review for us in the first three months of 2021. You can enter to win these tickets by taking a screenshot of your review and submitting that through the “contact us” option on our website at GrimDrive.com. The contact us option will ask for your name+email address and will provide you with the option to upload the screenshot file. MAKE SURE you take the screenshot of the review BEFORE you submit it, if you wait until after you submit your review you will no longer be able to see the review to take the screenshot.
Michael Phelps related links:
***Watch the “Weight of Gold” documentary on HBOmax
Video interview (along with Michael Phelps) with Taylor Rooks (sports journalist): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuYT9BGroJM
His “story”:
- https://try.talkspace.com/michael?utm_source=google&utm_medium=semnb&utm_campaign=S earch_Google_NB_MP_Desktop_Exact&utm_content=MP-1&utm_term=michael%20phelps%2 0mental%20health&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2uH-BRCCARIsAEeef3kGlscBqWirPD-oyUrMwMNsJ6dWU i04b67PD-z4UxccnmSC_z8LMmAaAh9bEALw_wcB
- https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/television/2020/08/10/michael-phelps-apolo-oh no-open-suicide-documentary-hbo/112875854/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gea6HOo6ZEM
- https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/29186389/michael-phelps-most-overwhelmed-ever-felt
- https://time.com/collection/davos-2020-mental-health/5402066/michael-phelps-mental-health-activism/
- https://www.boston.com/sports/olympics/2018/05/22/michael-phelps-depression-mental-health
- https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/19/sport/michael-phelps-mental-health-coronavirus-spt-intl/index. Html
- https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2838142-michael-phelps-details-struggles-with-anxiety-and-d epression-on-twitter
- Players Trib: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/stand-up-michael-phelps-video
- ADHD: https://www.additudemag.com/michael-phelps-adhd-advice-from-the-olympians-mom/
- https://www.understood.org/en/learning-thinking-differences/personal-stories/famous-people/cel ebrity-spotlight-how-michael-phelps-adhd-helped-him-make-olympic-history
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/suffer-the-children/201608/what-we-can-learn-micha el-phelps-about-adhd
- https://www.si.com/olympics/2017/04/28/michael-phelps-opens-about-adhd-struggles-teacher-to ld-me-id-never-amount-anything
- https://www.ldrfa.org/michael-phelps/
ADHD:
- 40% more likely to get divorced (DTD)
- 30% more likely to be unemployed (DTD)
- 40% of the addicted population have ADHD (DTD)
- Prevalence higher among foster/adopted populations 15 million or more in the US have it
- 5.9-7.1% of children/adolescents (ADHD-RS)
- Affects males to females 2-3:1
- Medication (initially) and positive human connection (upon follow up) are biggest factors in success
ADHD (DSM-V): ***Jargon Free
- It is a neurobiological disorder, valid, not related to lazy/lack of IQ
- How “deficit” and “disorder” are misleading/unfair
- Used to be ADD and ADHD; now all ADHD (with three subtypes) – Child/Adolescent/Adult Diagnosis approach
- Inattentive: 6/9 symptoms met
- Hyperactive: 6/9 symptoms met
- 2+ life areas affected significantly (home/school/work/friends)
—————————————————————————————————————————
What to do about ADHD:
**Disclaimer on MH tips (A LOT of tools and strategies with mental health are easy to understand, HARD to execute…#1 reason they are hard to execute is the fraudulent mindset of “it can’t be that easy”…it is and it isn’t…easy to comprehend does not mean easy to execute (working out and eating right are perfect examples of this)…beware of the mind’s tendency to downplay great solutions due to negativity, denial, or excuse making designed to avoid hard work…trained response by the brain, deluding the self into thinking there is no point in order to give yourself permission to avoid change. Always best to seek professional help and work with someone
- Get an accurate diagnosis (anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, substance use, trauma, etc; can all create symptoms that look like ADHD but are not
- Discuss medications with PCP or psychiatrist
- Temper expectations: ADHD is neurobiological, lifelong. It can also be a positive; beware of what you have been told and especially watch out for projecting out your whole life based on how things have gone in 1/2 particular areas…
- Habit Forming (cue/routine/reward)
- Organization + Planning (Structure is KEY)
– Modify your three Environments (Physical/Digital/Mental) – Remove distractions
– Implement habits
– Learn ways to get into a FLOW state
FLOW in EIGHT steps:
- Eliminate all internal distractions (from Environments)
- Eliminate all external distractions (from Environments)
- Do work at your ideal time
- Listen to the right type of music
- Plan ahead so the step is SPECIFIC (Staircases)
- Make sure you are in the Zone (of proximal development)
- Consider consumption (caffeine, sugar, water, other foods) – Understand Habits (cue/routine/reward)
Other:
Be your own best coach (self 1v2)
- Understand the temptation of procrastination (self-delusion or brain’s need for comfort)
- Learn to plan and break large goals into small steps
- Always put the hardest thing FIRST, not the other way around
- Use the 2-minute rule
- Behavioral activation is key
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Nutrition
- ***Understanding, patience, and support from friends/family
The post Episode 4: Michael Phelps + ADHD first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at Serena Williams + Anger.
Anger is an emotion, an emotion that can be momentary/situational, and at times reflect deeper mental health issues. Anger is reflexive, in that it can come from mental health issues, and also cause mental health issues to get worse. Anger is also often a secondary emotion, meaning it comes as a result of a primary emotion, typically shame, sadness, anxiety, or grief.
This episode delves into Serena Williams’ experience with anger. We always try to bring light to issues that led to an athlete speaking out on mental health. Ironically, the “anger” episode in question with Serena Williams in 2018 was less an example of problematic anger, and more an example of advocating for self, as she maintained composure and simply asked for equal treatment. We discuss our takeaways from Serena being associated with anger unfairly, anger in sports v. anger in everyday life, anger and gender/race, anger and how it relates to mental health issues, and strategies for how to “manage” anger for those who also struggle to overcome this emotion.
As a reminder to listeners, please click subscribe on your podcast listening platform and rate+review the podcast if possible, we really appreciate all feedback, so much that we are offering a pair of FREE Celtics tickets to a game in 2021-2022 for one lucky person out of all who write an HONEST review for us in the first three months of 2021. You can enter to win these tickets by taking a screenshot of your review and submitting that through the “contact us” option on our website at GrimDrive.com. The contact us option will ask for your name+email address and will provide you with the option to upload the screenshot file. MAKE SURE you take the screenshot of the review BEFORE you submit it, if you wait until after you submit your review you will no longer be able to see the review to take the screenshot.
Serena Williams related links:
Purple Purse Project: https://www.purplepurse.com/about-us
Other charitable causes supported: https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/serena-williams
Other article/source links:
- https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/serena-williams-outburst-2018-us-open-womens-final/story?id=6 5000510
- https://sportstar.thehindu.com/tennis/wimbledon-tennis-serena-williams-saw-therapist-after-us-open-final-meltdown-sorry-to-naomi-osaka-mental-health-talk-awareness/article28335892.ece
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/serena-williams-anxiety-motherhood_n_5ae1d4fbe4b02baed1b7 6a51?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_si g=AQAAAEhmfWjJseutkqmx2r8wxgoSD4wMbc11kKebM8H3qii5qXdaJ7HMXxhWbjvQbRETY8 msiuOxRIx3hM0y315oJaJvgfi6eSTcm6DtpU3mimtMuXbymW1CBsYAyEQ8TxR4cW85hXZxyU hsbPyogTy8-2CYTpofsnp2jyjXwCXkI_YF
- https://www.sbnation.com/2018/9/10/17842660/serena-williams-us-open-righteous-anger-carlos -ramos-naomi-osaka
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45476500
- https://www.inc.com/lisa-abeyta/what-serena-williams-teaches-us-about-anger-compassion-wo men-leaders.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzyjDR_AWzE (David Williams)
- https://m13.co/the-power-of-neutral-thinking-with-trevor-moawad/ (Neutral Thinking)
Overview of her life:
- https://www.espn.com/espnw/culture/feature/story/_/id/17494146/road-23-story-serena-path-gre atness
Her dad:
- https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/05/31/whos-your-daddy-call-richard-williams-what-you-wantbizarr e-deceitful-or-perhaps-madbut-be-sure-of-one-thing-he-has-brilliantly-guided-the-careers-and-liv es-of-his-daughters-venus-and-serena-the-hottest-players-in-tennis
Grim Drive Example: Serena Williams herself
Anger:
- Main takeaway from the data is that people seem to be getting more and more angry – Anger can LEAD to a lot of physical and mental health issues
- We are living in time that functions as a sort of “anger incubator”
- Human brain is already slanted towards negativity 3x to 1 – Social media likely makes this much worse
Anger in sports vs. real life:
- In sports, a little can help focus, a lot can sabotage (it’s a very fine line)
- Anger in sports is possibly a sign that self-worth and outcomes are overlapping
- Intentional/planned use of anger is okay; impulsive use not so much
Some details on Anger:
- Anger is a secondary emotion, to solve it, you have to understand which primary emotion caused the anger, and what caused the primary emotion
- Examples are often shame, fear, sadness/grief
- Anger is also often the result of a cumulative build up, it’s a reactive release (spill over/ pressure building analogy)
- We discussed reactive v. Proactive approaches to anxiety in the Kevin Love episode – Anger can be avoided by proactively releasing the primary emotion build up
- Reducing sadness, reducing fear, addressing shame, etc. – Takes introspection and a lot of work
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Anger is MUCH more of a male issue, and can be a sign of covert depression
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– Testosterone plays a role in this
- – Modeled/accepted behavior also contributes
- – Anger as a male is often the ONLY accepted emotion in society
Info to help reduce Anger:
Proactive vs. reactive (from past episodes)
- “Anger management” is often thought of as in-the-moment strategies; which is often too late and not effective; you’re in fight or flight (FIGHT) mode at that point – Need to LEARN about what really drives the anger
- Introspection; what are the primary emotions?
Reactive:
- Reactive IS the anger, so that’s out of the question
- *Exception is when the anger is less impulsive, more intentional – Specific sports situations; for motivation; When standing one’s ground and advocating for self/others
Proactive
- Introspection to understand what is actually driving the anger
- Building self-esteem
- Set goals (passion, purpose, process)
- Exercise or another healthy way to release some pressure
- Humor
- Meditation and breathing exercises
- Opening up (therapy or just with another person who you have an issue with; grudge holding leads to pressure build up)
The post Episode 3: Serena Williams + Anger first appeared on Grim Drive.
This episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, takes a look at DeMar DeRozan + Depression.
Depression affects 17.3 million adults in the US alone, or 7.1% of the population. This percentage is even higher among those ages 18-25, at 13.1%. DeMar DeRozan, a superstar basketball player in the NBA, is one of those 17.3 million.
For those who have experienced depression, is it often one of the hardest things they will ever have to deal with. And yet, many still do not understand how severe this issue is or how difficult it can be to ensure. To those who have never experienced a migraine headache, it is often viewed as “just a headache.” But to those who have experienced it, these things are nowhere near comparable. Depression, similarly, is often viewed as “sadness” but this descriptor comes nowhere close to capturing the suffering that usually accompanies depression.
This episode delves into DeMar DeRozan’s experience with depression. We discuss our takeaways from him opening up about mental health, depression as a mental health issue, and strategies for how to combat depression for those who also struggle to overcome this widespread issue.
As a reminder to listeners, please click subscribe on your podcast listening platform and rate+review the podcast if possible, we really appreciate all feedback, so much that we are offering a pair of FREE Celtics tickets to a game in 2021-2022 for one lucky person out of all who write an HONEST review for us in the first three months of 2021. You can enter to win these tickets by taking a screenshot of your review and submitting that through the “contact us” option on our website at GrimDrive.com. The contact us option will ask for your name+email address and will provide you with the option to upload the screenshot file. MAKE SURE you take the screenshot of the review BEFORE you submit it, if you wait until after you submit your review you will no longer be able to see the review to take the screenshot.
DeMar DeRozan related links:
Lupus Canada: https://lupuscanada.org/about-us/celebrity-ambassadors/
Video interview (along with Kevin Love) with Dr. Michael Gervais, psychologist who works with the Seahawks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBeN9WcRKtk
Video interview (along with Michael Phelps) with Taylor Rooks (sports journalist): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuYT9BGroJM
The Globe and Mail Article (4/29/18): https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/basketball/article- how-a-derozan-tweet-sparked-a-mental-health-dialogue/
NBA.com article (2/26/18):
https://www.nba.com/news/demar-derozan-toronto-raptors-opens-about-depression-tweet
Bleacher Report article (2/26/18): https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2761543-demar-derozan-discusses-depression-personal-struggles-were-all-human
Grim Drive Example: Justin Beaver: https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1337918407287525378
Info on Depression: Data Source: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – 2017
- Affects 17.3 million adults in the United States (7.1% of all U.S. adults)
- Highest among individuals aged 18-25 (13.1%)
- We would guess those numbers are much higher in 2020
- Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the US; 2nd leading cause of death among those ages 10-34 (48k suicides in 2018)
- Over the last 20 years, the rate of suicide has increased 35%
- Rate of suicide for males is 3.7x higher than females
Depression (DSM-V): ***Jargon Free
- 5+ of the following:
- Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day (sad/empty/hopeless)
- Reduced interest in activities
- Significant weight changes (gain or loss not related to dieting)
- Sleep issues
- Slower movement/thinking
- Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt
- Recurrent thoughts of death (passive/active SI)
Some of our suggestions for those struggling with Depression:
Reducing Depression: Quick Tips
- Depression is NOT you, you are not your depression (view as external force)
- Understand that the scale of change when depressed is small…respect that and give yourself credit for changes made
- Be aware of the key difference between feeling run down and tired when SICK physically, vs. feeling those symptoms due to depression (when sick, you need rest; when depression, you NEED to get active)
- Talk to someone (part of getting better is making sure you’re not getting worse)
- VALIDATION needed
- Focus on self…to a point
- Initially, this is good
- At times, too much focus on self can backfire (like looking in a mirror too often)
- Instead, focus on helping others too (DeMar alludes to empowerment through helping others)
CBT: Behavioral ACTIVATION (easier to start with behavior change)
***Behaviors can be ACTIVE or PASSIVE (active = exercise / passive = avoidance/isolation
***We want to remove unhealthy behaviors, and implement as many healthy behaviors as we can
- Exercise (anything that releases endorphins, bodies natural versions of morphine)
- Set goals that focus on things we can control
- – Process over product (when it comes to goal setting)
- – Live on the scale of a day
- – Process over product (when it comes to goal setting)
- Spend time with trusted friends and family
- Healthy morning/night routines and prioritizing sleep
- Mindfulness-based meditation and breathing techniques
CBT: COGNITIVE changes (thoughts)
- Treat yourself like a best friend
- “i” vs “me” / self vs. ego / self 1 (actual self) vs. self 2 (internal critic)
- All synonymous
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- Learn how to lead the critic, not the other way around
- Adaptive responses throughout each day
- Counteract the slant towards negativity
- Grateful Project/exercise is one example (Tesla effect)
The post Episode 2: DeMar DeRozan + Depression first appeared on Grim Drive.