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Psychologist Jose Noda: "When we focus sport only on results, mental health is what pays"

Regarding the toxic positivism that is sold on social networks, he indicates: "Do we have limits? Yes, of course"

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Sports Psychology expert psychologist Jose Noda has given an interview with La Voz on the occasion of his participation in a conference on the promotion of mental health and the prevention of suicidal behavior, held in mid-May in Lanzarote, and where he shared his experience as a sports psychologist.

His work focuses on the search for patient well-being and thus achieve performance improvement. Jose Noda was born in Lanzarote, but left the island 15 years ago. First, to study Psychology in Salamanca, then he moved to Madrid to study the sports specialty. In the Spanish capital he began his career as part of the technical staff of the Real Madrid Club de Fútbol youth team. For a year now, Noda has been combining his life in Madrid with collaborations with local clubs.

During the interview, the expert explained that in sports, as in other areas, each person carries "a backpack of good things, difficulties and less good things." Thus, he argues that exercise can "increase the intensity of the problem you bring from home or dilute it", but for this "it depends on whether you have the right environment."

For the sports psychologist it is important that there is "a good relationship" with sports practice, "that there is no obsession or excessive pressure." To which he adds that for sport to benefit mental health, "a series of requirements" must be met.

In addition, he warns about the risk of basing sport solely on physical results and using it simply as a means to have a body with certain characteristics. "When we only focus sport on results or winning something, mental health pays the price of that goal," he explains.

To this he adds that "sadness is not negative, anger is not negative, what is negative is what we do with those emotions" and that although on social networks there are influencers who show that they get up at 5 in the morning, "they do 100 burpees and then have time to do 1000 things a day, that's a bit unreal."

 

The importance of a safe environment

This expert points out that when a child who plays sports is only valued when he has obtained a good result, "that person will associate that his self-esteem has value when things go well for him and has no value when he does not achieve that result."

Thus, he points out that if the context is not healthy "what can be a factor of protection against suicidal behavior or promotion of mental health, without the appropriate conditions, can be the opposite." So, in spaces where rivalry between teammates is encouraged or where coaches are too strict, the effect can be negative.

For example, if it is someone who comes from a dysfunctional family, if the sports environment is toxic it can "aggravate" their situation and do more harm.

In contrast, Noda indicates that when sport is under a "positive umbrella", "that sports environment enhances the support network, creates quality bonds, which are lasting over time and which also help because it achieves bonds that perhaps he does not have with his family at home."

 

The danger of toxic positivity

Faced with repeated messages on social networks with mantras such as: "If you want, you can" or "the limit is in your mind", this professional argues that they reflect "a utopian reality, which is a lie and is also not good or positive."

Thus, he continues adding that although the "message sells many books and at the motivation level it is an adrenaline rush, then it must be transferred to reality."

"Do we have limits? Yes, of course," he adds, "the limit is also physical, ask a person of 1.30 or 1.50 who is proposed the challenge of doing a two-handed dunk on an NBA hoop, which is 3.05 meters high, well, they probably won't get it."

Finally, he proposes "knowing what my capabilities are that I can do and what my limits are." Thus, he adds that "nothing happens for recognizing it, in fact, on the contrary, recognizing that I may have limits in certain areas or at certain times will help me better manage the situation."