Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
SPORT, an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment, is not just about that.
It also has psychological benefits that play a pivotal role in ensuring that one’s mental health is in the right state as it helps in relieving stress and keeping depression at bay.
Studies have shown that 20 to 30 minutes of exercise each day can make people feel calmer. In addition to feeling calmer, sporting activities are a way of bonding and practicing collaboration. Sports can boost self-esteem, build teamwork skills, and help people build a close community of peers and supportive adults.
In recent years, research has also found that sport participation can also positively affect mental health.
When physically active, the mind is distracted from daily stresses. Being active can help avoid getting bogged down by negative thoughts. Exercise reduces the levels of stress hormones in the body.
Group Therapy, a Bulawayo entity, organised an event at Mitre Bar Basketball Court where local “influencers” met to play basketball games to help raise awareness for mental health in the city after there has been a number of suicide attempts.
Event organiser, Vuyisile Ndlovu said the event was inspired by one thing and that is mental health awareness and believes that sport plays a pivotal role in fighting against mental health challenges.
“If you go to any therapist, any therapist that’s worth your money, they will tell you that if you are feeling depressed, there are certain things that you must do to occupy your time that are recreational and one thing that they definitely say is get healthy and one way of getting healthy is doing sport,” Ndlovu said.
Rapper Tafadzwa “Asaph” Tarukwana believes playing a sport makes one forget about their life problems and all that matters is the court, making reference to the basketball match in which he was coach of one of the teams.
“Someone who is struggling with mental health might feel they are so isolated and alone but now they are in a team and someone is passing them the ball and they are passing it back, they will feel like I’ve got someone and the more we do this the more they will feel like, my teammates at least I can talk to them.
“If I’m struggling with something, I can call my teammate and say we were playing basketball last week and I’m struggling with something,” said Asaph.
When someone is depressed, they will be in their house, alone but being involved in a sporting activity brings one out to people who have positive energy and they will make sure you are good.
Young fashion designer, Sakhumuzi Allen Moyo said sport is important in mental health as it brings people together for a certain cause.
“Today it was basketball and tomorrow it can be anything else but any platform that’s meant to bring light to mental health is important,” he said.
A study by the Journal of Adolescent Health revealed that people who play team sports have less stress and better mental health as playing sports creates a sense of connection that provides an opportunity for learning coping strategies, which are beneficial for long-term mental health.
Singer and songwriter Bhekiwe Dube believes that the more active a person is, plays a huge role in their mental health as it makes you feel good and helps in lifting moods.
Another local influencer, Fortune “Fofo” Mguni believes that since men love sport, playing sports will help them to talk about issues that affect them mentally.
Another rapper, Indigo Saint also believes that another part of mental healthiness is being physically active.
The regular exercise that comes with playing sports can help boost confidence and improve self-esteem. Sport provides control, which leads to self-confidence.
Online Reporter