As athletes, we constantly think about the strength and health of our bodies. I for one am acutely aware of what I put in my body, how my muscles feel, what hurts and what is tight. I massage my calves, roll out my hips and stretch and ice at the onset of even the slightest pain. Trainers rush to the side of a fallen athlete and know exactly how to treat a sprained ankle or a strained tendon. For an athlete, the body is of the utmost importance.

When we talk about the health of athletes, however, we only talk about their physical health. With the increasing scrutiny of mental health resources in colleges and universities nationwide, one would hope that the discourse would shift to include athletics as well. But it hasn’t.

The NCAA has issued a publication called “Managing Student-Athletes’ Mental Health Issues,” which acknowledges the emphasis athletes place on their physical health, often at the expense of their mental health.

In September, the National Athletic Trainers Association said it wants colleges to start caring as much about their athletes’ mental health as they do about their physical health.

Numerous mental illnesses plague college and professional athletes. Suicide and depression have perhaps received the most attention recently after the acknowledgment that numerous NFL players became seriously depressed once they retired. Although in the case of retired NFL players the athletes’ depression was linked to repeated head trauma, there are many other reasons to be wary of mental health issues in athletes.

The inherent pressures of competition associated with upper level athletics is often hard to handle. Though many athletes thrive on competition, the constant pressure to live up to the very high expectations of fans, coaches, teammates and oneself can be mentally taxing. Injured athletes barred from playing their sport are consequently forbidden from doing something they love for extended periods of time. This can connote a greater risk of depression.

Eating disorders also plague many athletes. Athletes who partake in endurance sports or sports that emphasize body image, such as gymnastics or wrestling, are particularly susceptible to anorexia and bulimia. Many female athletes are at risk for what is called the “female athlete triad,” the combination of three conditions: disordered eating, amenorrhea (loss of menstrual periods) and osteoporosis.

Eating disorders are a particularly troubling case of mental illness in athletes because they emphasize the intrinsic link between an athlete’s mental health and his or her body. The pressure to perform, to make your body as efficient and “perfect” as possible even at the expense of your health, is of paramount importance to many athletes. Many studies have in fact indicated that athletes, particularly female athletes, are at greater risk for developing eating disorders than non-athletes. Whether the pressure to be thin comes from athletics or whether those who choose to compete in competitive sports are somehow predisposed to developing eating disorders is unclear. Nevertheless, eating disorders and other mental illnesses are prevalent issues in athletics, deserving of the same, if not more attention, as broken bones.

Perhaps most troublesome is that the stigma surrounding mental health issues is amplified in athletics. Athletes are perceived to be strong and resilient. Asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness. Athletes play through physical pain and serious injuries when they know they shouldn’t because we are stubborn; we don’t want to admit defeat. Asking for help with mental health issues is hard for anyone; asking for help with mental health issues when you are a part of a community that places such a high premium on strength is even harder.

I can’t help but think about my own experiences when writing this editorial. Though it’s far from perfect, the Oberlin athletics community has certainly done work to remove the stigma of mental health. The new athletics complex, which houses both physical and wellness facilities, gives me hope that the Oberlin community understands the connection between physical and mental health. But Oberlin, like so many colleges, is still lacking in its mental health resources.

With regard to eating disorders in particular, the Oberlin cross country team, of which I am a member, is the most body positive environment I have ever been a part of. Running is a sport in which eating disorders are particularly common. At the beginning of the season we addressed this issue and established the team as a space free of unwanted comments about body image.

My hope is that the shifting discourse around mental health will inspire other teams to have similar discussions. The health of our bodies, the centerpiece of athletics, is linked to the health of our minds. Sports and exercise can be the source of our happiness and can improve mental health. Unmonitored, however, our athleticism can make us even more susceptible to the mental health issues that plague all college students.