Case Studies in Sports Psychiatry

'A fascinating, accessible and much needed guide to this important and emerging sub-speciality. This book feels fresh, relevant and gives an in-depth understanding while providing the reader with the tools they need to really get to grips with the subject. This book is a trailblazer, and destined to become a definitive classic in the area. I hate sport and even I loved this book.' Dr Max Pemberton, Psychiatrist and Daily Mail Columnist

'An informative, enlightening and attention grabbing read in an emerging field where the evidence base is developing fast. The use of real-life scenarios developed from the lived experience of athletes brings the subject alive is educationally stimulating. We like to think that athletes are superhuman but they struggle and become ill like the rest of us. Fortunately effective, evidence-based treatments are available. The editors and contributors are at the forefront of this endeavour and have thankfully shared their knowledge and expertise in this book. The causes and presentation of mental illness in athletes brings unique challenges and treatments are often constrained by the complex environments inhabited by elite sports people. The reader is taken on a journey accompanied by the athlete and clinician and is led through examples of how mental illness presents and invited by means of probing questions to engage in the exploration of care and treatment. I thoroughly recommend this book to all those engaged with the mental health of athletes but to psychiatrists generally and to all those interested in sports science.' Dr Adrian James, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists

'Case Studies in Sports Psychiatry has several unique features that make it an invaluable resource for those interested in the rapidly evolving field of athlete mental health. The comprehensive yet concise case studies provide practical insight into the presentation, assessment and management of common mental health problems across a variety of high-profile sports. Readers benefit from authorship by expert practitioners working at the athlete health front-line, with the detailed answers to the questions tabled at the end of each chapter demonstrating that effective mental health support requires an inter-disciplinary approach - making this a book for everyone involved in athlete care.' Dr Craig Ranson, Director of Athlete, English Institute of Sport

'Case Studies in Sports Psychiatry is a must read for those who care for the mental health of elite athletes. The authors make a substantial thought provoking contribution to the science of how psychiatric support can be provided to athletes who experience mental illness. Authors achieve this through comprehensive case reviews of athletes from various sports, levels of performance, ages, and genders. This book is the first of its kind with a focus on mental illness, and I have no doubt it will make an excellent contribution to psychiatry training, as well as trigger interest from colleagues in sports medicine, sport and exercise psychology, sport science and coaching. The book contributes to increasing knowledge of the dangers of mental health stigma in sport culture and will inevitably contribute to training sport psychiatrists, that in turn will improve the lives of our elite sports people.' Dr Gavin Breslin, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, School of Psychology, Ulster University, Northern Ireland and Chief Assessor for The Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology, British Psychological Society