ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the state of the available mental-health resources for high-school, college, and pro baseball teams and details the most common clinical concerns and their prevention and treatment. Baseball is America's "national pastime" and its oldest and second most popular sport. Fan and media interest for little league, high school, college, and professional baseball are strong throughout their long seasons but have accelerated interest and excitement during the playoffs which draw large radio and television audiences. For the most part, baseball players at high school, collegiate, and professional levels struggle with the same problems and mental/substance use disorders as age-matched boys/men in the general population, however disorders like adjustment, performance/social anxiety, insomnia/chronic fatigue, and tobacco, alcohol, stimulant, and cannabis use disorders are more common. Baseball players have many potential barriers to accessing mental-health services ranging from lack of knowledge and experience with mental-health providers to inadequate access and stigma.
