Fresh off March Madness and Los Angeles' own UCLA's run to the Final Four as an 11 seed the SPMDs dive into the anatomy of an underdog. How there is no underdog story without an adversary (no David without Goliath), what makes them successful and some of the greatest underdog stories of all time. 

Athletes and Teams featured: Buster Douglas, Mike Tyson, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, 2016 Leicester City, 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, Muggsy Bogues

The Greatest Underdog Stories & Their Recipe for Successful | Episode 60

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The SPMDs break down what it means and what it takes to become competitively great at the highest level.  We discuss traits common to many of the greatest athletes and describe the ways in which several of these traits can be traced to sociopathic and psychopathic characteristics.

Athletes featured: Micheal Jordan, Kobe Bryant*, Steph Curry, Allen Iverson, Kwame Brown, Lebron James, Kawhi Leonard, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Kyler Murray, Tiger Woods

Episode 6 - Competitive Greatness I: Killer Instincts

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The SPMDs tackle substance use by detailing how drugs like marijuana, alcohol and even nicotine can impact an athletes's brain and trick them into dependence. 

Athletes featured: Josh Gordon

Episode 7 - Substance Abuse in Sports

The SPMDs apply a psychological perspective to what makes retirement so difficult for athletes and discuss ways to prevent pitfalls during these tough career transitions.  Have you ever wondered what the average career span of an NFL player is or if the NBA provides a 401k?

#8|24 Remember Kobe

Athletes Featured: Kobe Bryant*, Sugar Ray Leonard, Chuck Liddell, John Elway, Myron Rolle, Lawrence Taylor, Grant Hill, Warren Sapp, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Episode 8 - Retirement, Transition & the Aging Athlete

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We discuss the brand new mental health initiatives in the NBA and NFL along with the role of the Sports Psychiatrist from start to finish. We also detail the various types of therapies (CBT, DBT, Psychodynamic, ACT), medications (SSRIs, stimulants, mood stabilizers), and even procedures (electroconvulsive therapy, deep brain stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation) that can be helpful for athletes. 

Athletes Featured: Simone Biles

Episode 9 - How We Can Help

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SPMDs explore childhood development, how mental illness presents in children, and how sports can foster resilience and overall wellness. We also detail effective coaching and parenting styles based off the age and temperament of the child.

Athletes Featured: Venus and Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Andrew Luck

Episode 10 - Mental Health for Young Athletes

We highlight athletes who not only broken barriers in their sport, but made major cultural impacts through their accomplishments. Interestingly, several of these trailblazers have similar personality profiles. 

Athletes featured: Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Mo’ne Davis, Muhammed Ali, Ronda Rousey, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Althea Gibson, Serena Williams, Alice Coachman, Florence Griffith Joyner, Jesse Owens, Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Sheryl Swoopes, Jason Collins, Brandon Marshall, Danica Patrick, USWNT, Charlie Sifford, Tiger Woods, Becky Hammon and many more!

Episode 11 - The Gamechangers & Trailblazers of Sports

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Public Service Announcement about the facts surrounding cannabis use for Athletes. 

Marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug.  You may know that having a schedule 1 classification makes its use and distribution Federally illegal.  What you may not know is that having this classification creates significant barriers to the medical community’s ability to research the drug’s long term effects.

In this episode we discuss all you ever wanted to know (and probably some things you didn’t)about cannabis use including what’s FDA approved and what the latest research indicates. We also discuss other recreationally used drugs like opiates and crystal meth (think Breaking Bad).  

Learn why prescription drugs are always the safer, more effective option for treating mental health symptoms. 

Athletes Featured: Calvin Johnson, Percy Harvin

Episode 12 - Special Edition PSA i: Uncovering the Truth about Marijuana, Vaping, Opioid Use  & More

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Following an in depth, eye-opening discussion about eating disorders and sports the SportsPsychMDs feature special guest, Janelle “The Gazelle” Li-A-Ping, who opens up about her experiences competing in track and cross country at both the high school and D-1 collegiate levels.   

Janelle describes the pressures of having to compete at a high level in a sport where having the right body type and maintaining the right body weight can make the difference between success and failure. 

Janelle was a stud cross country athlete who broke nearly every school record in distance running at Loyola High School (New York City) and went on to earn an athletic scholarship to compete at Northwestern University from 2009 to 2012 where she was distinguished as Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Athlete and Academic All-Big Ten.  

Her story highlights perseverance and how far the will to win can take you in sports.

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Episode 14 - Runner’s High: Anxiety, Disordered Eating & The Will to Win

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Your SportsPsychMDs, Armin and Torey, describe why sleep is essential to performance for athletes. From testosterone deficiency, which can reduce sex drive and libido, to numerous physical and mental health consequences described in this episode, sleep deprivation is commonly referred as a silent killer. 

We break down the recent the ESPN article on a sleep deprivation epidemic within the NBA that has surfaced and is generating considerable attention. Many players, including Lebron James, have been vocal about the importance of sleep on their performance and how the rigor of the season in conjunction with frequent travel can adversely impact their ability to achieve high quality sleep. 

We also provide useful insights on what to avoid, practical things you can do at home to make your bedroom space more compatible and ways in which we as physicians can help you achieve and sustain restful sleep to optimize your health and ultimately your performance.  

Athletes featured: Tobias Harris, Lebron James, Andre Iguodala, Kent Bazemore

Episode 15 - How Sleep Affects Performance I

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What does it mean to be an athlete in this modern era of sports?

Lebron James and Colin Kaepernick are two of several high profile athletes who are reframing how we define what it means to be an athlete in the digital age. 

With more eyes (and money) on athletes today than ever before, the old adage of ‘to whom much is given, much is required’ takes on a whole new meaning.  

In this episode we explore the “anatomy of identity” by identifying the primary brain structures associated with a our personalities and describing how they work together to create our identities.  

Through this discussion we explore the question of image for athletes and the extent to which being in the spotlight creates a responsibility for athletes to represent positive values.  We highlight the Colin Kaepernick story and debate the significance of identity for athletes in today’s world.

Athletes Featured: Lebron James, Colin Kaepernick

Episode 16 - Identity of the Athlete vol 1: Self Awareness & Shaping the Narrative

Join us for conversations about sports and mental health.  

We are leading the movement to elevate mental health awareness in sports and improve mental health care for athletes.  

“Lets end the stigma... and continue the conversation!”

Hosted by Sports Psychiatrists:
Armin Hoes, MD & Torey Troggio, MD