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Addiction among Athletes

Addiction refers to the condition of being dependent to a particular substance or activity. Drug addiction among athletes is a problem that affects performance. A group that works under influence of drugs does not perform to their full capacity. While it can be challenging to work with athletes who are addicts, it also presents opportunities. This paper seeks to share thoughts on the opportunities and challenges of working with athletes who are dealing with addiction, and further discuss the impact of the athletic culture on the prevention efforts, interventions, and responsiveness to treatment.

Working with addicts provides an opportunity to provide mentorship programs to athletes and create awareness on the importance of staying drug-free (Goldman & Basaria, 2018). It is an empowerment session that will expose both athletes and I, the trainer, to better platforms and ideas of dealing with life addictions to ensure the situation does not affect productivity potential. It is a leadership chance to transform the lives of addicts into a healthier lifestyle. However, working with athletes can be challenging and exhausting. In most cases, they prioritize addiction over their line of profession. It is hard to hit targets when due to lack of cooperation from the team (Haerinejad et al., 2016). Some may not comply with rules making it hard to work together especially if they are rowdy and uncompromising.

As it is the athletic culture, it is expected that a team focuses on winning for both individual accomplishment and team access. This fact comes with a price to pay as members need to express appropriate values, characteristics and attitudes. It helps addicts consider refraining from drug addiction and focusing much on performance. Being a competitive sport, athletics require physical energy and fitness to perform competitively. This fact makes most addicts understand the importance of refraining, which accelerates the prevention efforts, interventions, and responsiveness to treatment.

In conclusion, drug abuse is a common act among the athletes for a number of purposes. However, there are opportunities and challenges of working with athletes who are dealing with addiction. Athletic culture presents diverse impacts on the prevention efforts, interventions, and responsiveness to drug abuse treatment efforts.