Member Support

Meet Andrew Serhan

Your Member Support Officer

Andrew Serhan – Seahorse #1825

This will be my 15th year playing for Uni. I started with the club studying my Bachelors of Psychology and continued to live and work in Newcastle over the years. Now I work as a registered Psychologist at The Willow Tree Clinic based in Kotara. I have stepped onto the committee this year as a ‘Rugby Support Officer’ to see how I can give back to the club.

I stepped into this role because I want to help change the narrative where people don’t speak up about their mental health. Aussies are stubborn and bottle things up until they’re on the wrong side of the statistics:

Almost half (46%) of Australian’s will suffer from a mental illness across their lifetime.
Of those diagnosed with a mental health disorder, 54% don’t seek help or support.
Those that do seek help have over a 75% chance of improving their symptoms.
In the rugby community, we see younger age groups making up the bulk of the players. Those aged 15-44 who also make up the highest risk population for suicide in Australia and are at an increased risk of morbidity (illness or injury) due to risk taking behaviour.

Uni has always been about looking after your mate. We are a club that has each other’s backs and supports each and every member. We are looking to the future where all aspects of a player’s health is deserving of support. We want to bridge the gap with Mental Health Support and this is one of the many steps we are taking to ensure that.

COMMON ISSUES FACED BY PLAYERS:

Anxiety:

Feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease

Feelings don’t go away, or happen without any particular cause

Symptoms:

Physical; hot and cold flushes, racing heart, tightening of chest, quick breathing, restlessness, feeling tense, wound up or edgy

Psychological; excessive fear or worry, obsessive thinking

Behavioural; avoidance of situations

Depression:

Feelings of sadness, unhappiness, and despondency

Feelings remain sever, don’t go away, happen without apparent reason

Symptoms;

Physical; tiredness, headaches, muscle pain, stomach issues, sleep impairment, loss/change of appetite

Psychological; overwhelmed, guilty, irritable, frustrated, lack confidence, unhappy, negative thoughts about self

Behavioural; not going out, lack of performance, not getting things done, withdrawing from close friends/family, avoiding fun activities, not able to concentrate

Physical Injuries:

Injuries that are restrictive, painful or long lasting can have a detrimental impact on our mental health.

For some student-athletes, the psychological response to injury can trigger or unmask serious mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and substance use or abuse.

The risk of concurrent injuries and mental health increases over longer recovery time frames. For example; the statistics say that three months after a traumatic injury, one in three people will experience a depressive episode. What’s even more concerning around this is that Depression actually impairs the bodies physiological responses that repair injuries. This increases recovery time and in some instances can make injuries worse.

Pain management is also a crucial factor in the athletes recovery where excessive pain symptoms or ongoing neuropathic pain can be aided through psychological interventions on top of the physical recovery plans.

Negative Mental Health changes can also be associated with losing touch with the playing group. Players often feel isolated, looked over or forgotten during their recovery which can contribute to their cognitive decline.

Early intervention and support is the best recovery plan. It is crucial for all injured players managing longer recovery periods to stay in touch with the club. We endeavour to check in on injured players, offer as much support where possible and ensure you remain involved with the clubs activities outside of simply putting the boots on.

Professional support networks

Warning signs:

Poor mental health often occurs as a result of life stressors. Mental health problems can have a negative impact on a person’s cognitive, emotional, and social abilities.

If you start to notice changes in your normal mental state and you don’t act on them, you may find yourself in the early onset stages of developing a mental health disorder. Awareness is crucial to preventing these issues from deteriorating or developing into a complicated diagnosis.

If these changes persist for more than 2 weeks and it starts to negatively impact either your uni, career or social life, it may be time to act. Examples of problematic changes include:

Unusual behaviour – Odd, uncharacteristic, peculiar behaviour

Mood changes — Rapid or dramatic shifts in emotions or depressed feelings

Illogical thinking — Unusual or exaggerated beliefs about personal powers to understand meanings or influence events; illogical or “magical” thinking typical of childhood in an adult

Nervousness — Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling

Sleep or appetite changes — Dramatic sleep and appetite changes or decline in personal care

Withdrawal — Recent social withdrawal and loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed

Drop in functioning — An unusual drop in functioning, at uni, work or social activities, such as quitting sports, failing in subjects or difficulty performing familiar tasks

Problems thinking — Problems with concentration, memory or logical thought and speech that are hard to explain

Increased sensitivity — Heightened sensitivity to sights, sounds, smells or touch; avoidance of over-stimulating situations

Apathy — Loss of initiative or desire to participate in any activity

Feeling disconnected — A vague feeling of being disconnected from oneself or one’s surroundings; a sense of unreality

Nervousness — Fear or suspiciousness of others or a strong nervous feeling

Support Networks:

For a confidential one on one chat with Andrew or if you would like to simply ask a question or seek support please email: support@uonrugby.com.au. Andrew will do everything he can to address any concerns or queries as soon as possible.

PLEASE NOTE: This email address is not continuously monitored 24 hours a day. If life is in danger, call 000. For other support services see the following:

24 hour counselling services:

Lifeline – 13 11 14

Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511

Mensline Australia – 1300 789 978

Salvo Care Line – 1300 363 622

Domestic Violence Line – 1800 656 463

Information hotlines:

Mental Health Information Service – 1300 794 991

Anxiety Information Service – 1300 794 992

General Information websites:

The Black Dog Institute: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/

The Australian Psychological Society: https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics