LANSING, Mich., Oct. 9, 2024 — State Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Pittsfield Township) recently introduced House Resolution 299, which names Oct. 5-12, 2024, as Student Athlete Mental Health Week in Michigan. About 1 in 3 student athletes struggle with mental health. In recognition of this week, Brabec, a licensed clinical psychologist, issued the following statement:
“We must actively end the stigma surrounding mental illness and lean away from fitting it into a neat, little box. Mental health struggles can affect anyone, in any place, at any capacity and at any time. Often, exercising is sold as a way to improve mental health, but it isn’t always a solution. Athletes face many challenges as they commit themselves to playing a sport — high-intensity workouts that cause burnout, juggling expectation after expectation to win, or recover from an injury in a certain time frame. There is so much that can affect an athlete throughout all seasons. I am proud to introduce this resolution that recognizes Michigan’s student athletes.”