How much does football affect your mental health…?

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MadchesterCity

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Simple question really, how much does football affect your mental health…?

Does a good result make you more positive and happy in life and a defeat /opponent winning get you down?

Why does football impact mental health much worse for some than others?

Does your club being successful and with that higher expectations also greatly impact this?

Do you take your anger and frustration out on yourself and family if you lose and are you also a better person when your team are making you more positive?

Has your relationship with football changed since we have become successful?
Has football caused you to break relationships with friends/fans of other teams?

How did covid and not getting to games impact your health, are you back to normal yet?

Does the media portrayal of our club impact your mental health?
Should Sky and other medua organizations presenters be held accountable and sacked for stirring hatred and telling lies.

I know there are so many things going on in the world now which are much more important but interested to hear peoples thoughts.
 
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Not one tiny bit. There was a time I took it far more seriously than I do now but hit an age and stage in my life where my priorities changed and the realisation hit it’s a game meant to be enjoyed.
Probably why I’m accused of being a happy clapper.
Feel for anyone whose life and happiness revolves around a football team getting results.
 
Very good questions and I'm surprised they've not been asked on here prior to now.

I'd say that since City have become successful, football has had a much worse effect on my head. I think it comes down to stratospheric levels of expectation, the advent of social media, the hatred of other fans towards my club that never previously existed, and general hyperbole around the elite level of the game that makes losses feel catastrophic. I can see the problem, I can diagnose it, but no matter what I do, I can't brush off bad results easily even though I know I should. I am usually fine a day or two after a bad result but I had a restless night after the Palace draw.

I wouldn't say I take it out on family when we lose, but I try to talk with friends about bad performances/results as if to counsel my way through it.

I think it's worse for some than others because it's not entirely separate from real life. If people seek sanctuary in football to escape from the stresses of reality, if all isn't well on planet football then some people have nowhere else to turn for relative comfort.

Take the Liverpool game next month - the hype around it is enormous and ubiquitous. I don't follow the sports media much at all but even I know it's being overblown, especially at a time when war is being waged on continental Europe and toning it down really should be the order of the day. For people who watch SSN and listen to Talksport, they'll be a quivering wreck by the time the game comes around. It's absurd really, but ultimately we kid ourselves that we play more of a part than we actually do and make the problems of the team our own.

The media have a lot of blame on their shoulders for stoking rivalry and tension. I reckon mental health issues in football fans is a serious issue and may have even cost lives.
 
The football doesn't effect my mental health but drinking in the pub whilst watching it.... The following days.... My mental health is effected then.

Takes maybe a week to feel normal again and then it's match day.

So, indirectly the footy effects my mental health.
 
John Wayne said:
Very good questions and I'm surprised they've not been asked on here prior to now.

I'd say that since City have become successful, football has had a much worse effect on my head. I think it comes down to stratospheric levels of expectation, the advent of social media, the hatred of other fans towards my club that never previously existed, and general hyperbole around the elite level of the game that makes losses feel catastrophic. I can see the problem, I can diagnose it, but no matter what I do, I can't brush off bad results easily even though I know I should. I am usually fine a day or two after a bad result but I had a restless night after the Palace draw.

I wouldn't say I take it out on family when we lose, but I try to talk with friends about bad performances/results as if to counsel my way through it.

I think it's worse for some than others because it's not entirely separate from real life. If people seek sanctuary in football to escape from the stresses of reality, if all isn't well on planet football then some people have nowhere else to turn for relative comfort.

Take the Liverpool game next month - the hype around it is enormous and ubiquitous. I don't follow the sports media much at all but even I know it's being overblown, especially at a time when war is being waged on continental Europe and toning it down really should be the order of the day. For people who watch SSN and listen to Talksport, they'll be a quivering wreck by the time the game comes around. It's absurd really, but ultimately we kid ourselves that we play more of a part than we actually do and make the problems of the team our own.

The media have a lot of blame on their shoulders for stoking rivalry and tension. I reckon mental health issues in football fans is a serious issue and may have even cost lives.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the post, seems to align with much of my thinking
 
John Wayne said:
Very good questions and I'm surprised they've not been asked on here prior to now.

I'd say that since City have become successful, football has had a much worse effect on my head. I think it comes down to stratospheric levels of expectation, the advent of social media, the hatred of other fans towards my club that never previously existed, and general hyperbole around the elite level of the game that makes losses feel catastrophic. I can see the problem, I can diagnose it, but no matter what I do, I can't brush off bad results easily even though I know I should. I am usually fine a day or two after a bad result but I had a restless night after the Palace draw.

I wouldn't say I take it out on family when we lose, but I try to talk with friends about bad performances/results as if to counsel my way through it.

I think it's worse for some than others because it's not entirely separate from real life. If people seek sanctuary in football to escape from the stresses of reality, if all isn't well on planet football then some people have nowhere else to turn for relative comfort.

Take the Liverpool game next month - the hype around it is enormous and ubiquitous. I don't follow the sports media much at all but even I know it's being overblown, especially at a time when war is being waged on continental Europe and toning it down really should be the order of the day. For people who watch SSN and listen to Talksport, they'll be a quivering wreck by the time the game comes around. It's absurd really, but ultimately we kid ourselves that we play more of a part than we actually do and make the problems of the team our own.

The media have a lot of blame on their shoulders for stoking rivalry and tension. I reckon mental health issues in football fans is a serious issue and may have even cost lives.
Click to expand...
I've highlighted this part of your post as I believe it's an important issues that is being overlooked. This is why I think Neville and Carragher should be sacked for their behaviour
 
I think it's why you sometimes hear/read people say they enjoyed it more when we were shit. They didn't, but you could much easier brush off a loss then. Win lose or draw you went the game with mates and enjoyed it.
Now every game is so important, far more stressful. Look at the league now, we might well have to win every single game to lift the trophy.
 
If I do feel affected then I come on here and read the post-match board. I never feel as bad as some on there.

I do make sure it doesn't affect me because if I didn't I know it would (if that makes sense?)

Still won't buy a Pink if we lose and they win.
 
It used to mean a lot more when I was young, not joking I used to struggle to sleep properly for a few days before we played the rags, to be honest I think it meant to much,
Different now, I have grown up a bit & gone through some bad times with family & health etc so took a step back from football & it doesnt seem quite as important,
Having said all that I will be one miserable bastard if the dippers pip us to the league this year :-)
 
MadchesterCity said:
Simple question really, how much does football affect your mental health…?

Does a good result make you more positive and happy in life and a defeat /opponent winning get you down?

Why does football impact mental health much worse for some than others?

Does your club being successful and with that higher expectations also greatly impact this?

Do you take your anger and frustration out on yourself and family if you lose and are you also a better person when your team are making you more positive?

Has your relationship with football changed since we have become successful?
Has football caused you to break relationships with friends/fans of other teams?

How did covid and not getting to games impact your health, are you back to normal yet?

Does the media portrayal of our club impact your mental health?
Should Sky and other medua organizations presenters be held accountable and sacked for stirring hatred and telling lies.

I know there are so many things going on in the world now which are much more important but interested to hear peoples thoughts.
Click to expand...
I thought this was going to end with "I am a student in (title of university / name of course) and please answer these questions to help my thesis....."
 
not so much mental health, but mood for sure.

Losses make me feel utter rotten for a good few days. I've also been off twitter for a good while now and thats helped a lot. Was growing sick and tired of seeing the utter drivel written about our club on there, and more generally the opinions of bitter morons.
 
Now I'm a decrepid old miserable **** it doesn't effect me at all.
I still love City but if we were skint again next year I couldn't care less.
As long as the club exists that's all I care about, I would hate it if they didn't exist.

I hate United though. Worst club in the world. Worse than Liverpool.
 
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