Greetings all, local MgoMentalHealth provider here. I’m writing today to share some perspective regarding how I survive the season as a Michigan football fan. This was inspired by Brian’s article wherein he disclosed the personal toll that his fandom has taken. I can see that distress about our program’s football lack of success permeates throughout the board. We’re very unhappy with our program and with the scope of college football in general. I have read great, supportive dialog on the board also, with a lot of healthy perspective being shared. So I thought I’d add to that with some insights about Mindfulness and how this may help Michigan football fans maintain their mental health and their perspective during the dark tumult of football season.

 

What is Mindfulness?

According to Mindful.org, “Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” The key feature of mindfulness is cultivating a non-judgmental awareness; this often looks like forgiving ourselves for our negative thoughts, returning to our stance as observers, and engaging with our sensations without trying to change or “do” anything to them.

 

How does this work?

Mindfulness is a skill. It is not something that we can flip a switch and turn on. By engaging in mindful practice on a regular basis, we train our minds to be present, aware, and non-judgmental. This can look like guided meditation, mindful walks, mindful cooking or cleaning, yoga, etc. Mindfulness is cultivated through habit just like any other skill.

 

How can I get started?

My favorite gateway into mindfulness is an app called Headspace that offers a free ten-session starter course. There are also numerous free mindfulness resources on Youtube. I like to start by learning body breathing, then moving on to a body scan meditation, then trying the loving kindness meditation. These three activities are an excellent starting pathway for cultivating mindful awareness. Practice for 5-10 minutes a day. Youtube is an excellent resource for further guided meditations.

 

How does this apply to Michigan football?

It can be hard to be a Michigan football fan if we rely on the outcome to determine our mood. Learning non-reactive and non-judgmental responses to disappointment can go a long way to mitigating the “BPONE” levels of depression we experience after a grisly loss. In developing such a skill set, we can learn to be happier in general without the weight of a loss on our shoulders, which in turn will lead to a generally less negative discourse between fans, and thus a less toxic fanbase.

 

What does this look like on game day?

Here is my practice on game day:

• I regularly meditate in the evenings; on game days, I meditate in the morning as well.

• I plan for breaks from the TV during games no matter how they go. Halftime I will go outside and stretch a little.

• I will also plan for an alternative activity for The Game and more recently the matchup with Sparty. Something like going on a walk with a partner, a bike ride, maybe playing video games with friends, anything positive and pleasurable to give some respite if needed.

• I am a cannabis user, so I will usually smoke a little at halftime, but less than usual for me. Be cautious with imbibing too much of anything, as being inebriated is kind of the opposite of mindful awareness. I mention this because I know it’s really common to drink beers and be merry during a game. Keep in mind that alcohol is a depressant, and can have negative effects on our decision making especially in a bad mood.

• This is the most serious part: if the game is going badly and I start to have more severe negative thoughts, I turn it off.

  • This is serious. I have jokingly said things like “well I’m gonna go jump off a bridge” or some such. This is not healthy. Negative self-talk, self-harming thoughts, and suicidal ideation of any kind is a warning sign that we are crossing a boundary. Turn the game off. Choose one of your pre-planned positive activities, and engage with that. Football is a game, and mental health is the furthest thing from a game.

• Engaging with community...at the right time. Snowflake threads can be cathartic, but beware, as they are the definition of wallowing. If you need to commiserate, try to give it time. If you feel that you need to vent, try doing so in person with friends. If you can’t wait, set a time limit for yourself. Honestly my recommendation is just don’t check the boards until Monday if you can. Maybe skip the game column too.

• Focus on what’s awesome and beautiful about the University of Michigan and its football team. We have unparalleled history, the best uniforms, and a world-class education that almost every other college football program would envy if they weren’t just professional training programs for football. We have a real history of giving incredible opportunities to under-heralded players; every year it seems we put 3-star recruits into the NFL. I think of this as the Seth mindset.

 

Folks, the bottom line is that we won’t ever be able to enjoy life to the fullest if we don’t allow ourselves to experience things as they are, rather than as we want them to be. Rather than an admission of defeat or inferiority, I view this as an opportunity for the real people that comprise our fanbase to find some joy in the experience of Michigan football as opposed to the outcome of Michigan football.

I for one am super excited about the season, can’t wait to see the new players and plays, and watch them play their asses off. I will try to answer questions as I can if they come up, though I do have real-life patients today so bear with me.

GO BLUE!!! 

Further Resources: 

"The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh
"Wherever You Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn