An unfortunate pattern calls for culture change
Head injuries and concussions have recently developed into one of the biggest dark clouds to hover over the world of sports, including both professional and minor leagues.
This is undoubtedly a grey area, with plenty of offered opinions and not enough concrete fact. When it comes to prevention and a solution, however, there seems to only be one thing agreed upon under the complex umbrella of the concussion-problem: something needs to be done.
The difficulty moves away from a headache or dizziness, and rather, becomes increasingly more concerning when mental health and depression enter the conversation.
A Toronto based psychiatrist, Shree Bhalerao, explained that 30 per cent of concussion patients show symptoms of depression – they suffer from diminished motivation, impaired sleep, withdrawn attention spans, and also experience anxiety and uncertain fears.
“They are irritable, they have increased impulsivity, and can lapse into substance abuse,” Bhalerao continued.
Looking at professional hockey players who have experienced concussions and, in turn, mental illness, substance abuse has become a reoccurring – and unfortunate – issue that has taken more than its share of lives.
In 2011, often referred to as the “dark year” in hockey’s recent history, former Minnesota Wild and New York Ranger Derek Boogaard was the first of three coined “tough-guys” to pass away. Boogaard died of an overdose after accidentally mixing alcohol and the painkiller oxycodone on May 13, while recovering from a concussion. It was later found that the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative disease found in individuals with a history of multiple concussions and other head injuries.
In August later that year, the Vancouver Canucks, Rick Rypien would be the second active NHL player to sadly take his own life after battling serious depression for several years.
16 days later on Aug. 31, former Toronto Maple Leaf Wade Belak died by suicide at the age of 35-years-old. Belak had admitted to good friends that he had been taking medication for his depression for the past five years prior to his death.
Fast forward four years later to Feb. 15, 2015, where the continued cycle of concussion and mental health complications rage on, as the hockey world is forced to mourn the loss of yet another of it’s own in Steve Montador.
A native of Vancouver, Montador – who began his career undrafted – played 571 games in the NHL with the Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, and the Chicago Blackhawks before calling it a career in 2014 after playing in the KHL, Russia’s professional hockey league.
It was March 27, 2012 that many now highlight on the much-too-short calendar of Montador’s life, the day he suffered a season-ending concussion playing in his first season with the Blackhawks.
The concussion symptoms remained present throughout the 2012 lockout year, until the start of the condensed 2012-13 season. After returning to practice on Feb. 22, 2013, Montador was placed on waivers by Chicago to participate in a standard move of the professional leagues to give long-injured players a conditioning stint in the American Hockey League (AHL), in order to regain their fitness levels prior to returning to the NHL.
From there, it is said that Montador began to lose himself, becoming a person not even his brother knew.
“He wasn’t my brother,” Chris Montador told The Hockey News. “He was like a different person inside his body and it breaks my heart. He wanted to be the same guy, but he just couldn’t.”
Though suicide and foul play have been ruled out as causes of death, upon waiting for autopsy results, only assumptions can be made about Montador’s known history of concussion complications, his depression, and lastly, his tragic passing.
Assumptions or not, however, an unfortunate pattern is evidently forming in sports. Whether concussions and head injuries are directly related to depression and other mental health issues, the consequences felt by these athletes after suffering such an injury should certainly warrant enough attention on it’s own.
Head injuries remain at the forefront of changes to be made in hockey, yet, changes are being brought in the form of rules, and removing fighting from the game. Attention instead, should zero in on the culture of the sport – the respect factor.
Tackling the culture of sports encompasses both concussions, additional and preventable injuries, and above all else, removing the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Tackling the culture removes fear surrounding the “silent injury,” and will teach athletes that it is acceptable to admit that something just isn’t right.
Tackling the culture allows for conversation.
Tackling the culture lays the foundation for change.