ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan’s Athletes Connected program released a new video this week in honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.
The video features Anika Dy, a recent U-M graduate and member of the women’s golf team, and shines a light on her journey from mental illness to mental health. Dy’s story is a continuation of “Student-Athlete Stories,” a series of short videos designed to normalize mental health issues by reducing stigma, raising awareness and promoting help-seeking.
“You don’t come to the University of Michigan to be mediocre,” said Dy. “You come here to be the best.”
Her story is one common among student-athletes. What happens when the pressures of being an elite student and an elite athlete become too much to take? When the stress of competing at a high level starts to take its toll on our health?
“I became more and more isolated. All my time became golf, school, golf, school. That’s it,” she shared. This rigorous schedule caused her to withdraw and deepened her loneliness. She began to feel like she was the only one experiencing these types of challenges.
For Dy, the accumulation of stressors resulted in a panic attack while on a golf training trip. “I experienced something I didn’t experience before,” she noted. “It came to a point where I just broke down.”
It’s key to know that progress is not linear, and asking for help only makes you stronger. It’s not a sign of weakness. It makes you a stronger athlete, student and person.”
The Athletics Counseling Team in U-M’s Athletic Department helped coordinate care for Dy, which included regular sessions with a therapist, and a helpful inpatient stay.
Dy explained, “For me, asking for help, or even trying to see a therapist was very new territory… It did help me and it saved me.”
Reflecting on her journey so far, Dy made an astute observation for anyone dealing with mental health issues.
“It’s key to know that progress is not linear, and asking for help only makes you stronger. It’s not a sign of weakness. It makes you a stronger athlete, student and person.
About Athletes Connected
Formed in 2014 on an NCAA pilot grant by a collaboration of University of Michigan Depression Center, Athletics and School of Public Health, Athletes Connected actively works to provide student-athletes with the tools and resources possible to support student-athletes along the continuum of wellbeing. Athletes Connected does this by promoting awareness of mental health issues, reducing the stigma of help-seeking and promoting positive coping skills among student-athletes. To learn more about the program, view the entire catalog of videos, read original stories and access helpful resources for student-athletes and non-athletes alike.