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When student athletes struggle with mental illness

Michigan is undefeated and ranked No. 2 in the country heading into next weekend's rivalry game in East Lansing against Michigan State.
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One in four young adults between the ages of 18-24 has a diagnosable mental illness, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. 

But student athletes are far less likely to seek help than non-athletes, says a 2014 study done by a group called the Healthy Minds Network, which is run by a University of Michigan professor. 

So with funding from the NCAA, the University of Michigan started a pilot program this fall to reduce the stigma around mental health for athletes.

That included videos about Michigan athletes who wrestled with depression, anxiety and eating disorders. 

http://vimeo.com/106777370

http://vimeo.com/104990949

The school says 90% of its 900 athletes took part, and most of those student athletes said the information they received from the program was helpful.

Attendance was still pretty low at drop-in support group meetings held after the program, according to the University of Michigan Depression Center.

Kate Wells is a Peabody Award-winning journalist currently covering public health. She was a 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist for her abortion coverage.
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