103. Playing fantasy football might be bad for your mental health
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
If you or your partner plays fantasy football and other fantasy sports, it might be affecting their mental health. A new study published in the journal Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies looked at almost 2,000 players of fantasy football, but of the English soccer variety. The researchers collected data on time spent playing, researching and thinking about fantasy football and the subsequent effects on mood and social adjustment. Roughly one-quarter of fantasy players said it caused them to have lower moods. That percentage was even higher among players who spent a significant amount of time with fantasy sports. And over one-third said it disrupted their lives. Researchers speculated that players of fantasy football and other sports have little control over the outcomes of their games and leagues, which could be a risk factor for poorer mental health.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
