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Indian Premier League and the Psychological Challenges within the Bio-bubble

The onset of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season gave rise to a controversy in the country with constant debates on whether the IPL should go on as India continued to battle the second wave of the COVID-19 apocalypse. Many experts, sports enthusiasts, commentators, and fans came forward and voiced their opinions and sentiments, before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) indefinitely suspended the IPL after some cricketers and sporting personnels tested positive.

Some believed that with the devastation and suffering that overwhelmed the country, the very need of a sporting celebratory event at a time like this was questionable and inappropriate. They contended that the decision for IPL to continue was unempathetic,  tone-deaf, irrelevant and should not have continued, out of respect for what was happening in the country. While the IPL provided a sense of job security and supported livelihoods of many, the critics felt that the COVID-19 resources such as testing facilities, ambulances etc. were needed for the general public of the country rather than being exclusively reserved for the tournament.

On the contrary, some individuals were of the opinion that the IPL gave it’s viewers relief from the grim situation outside. For instance, cricket commentator and former player, Hemant Kenkre remarked, “This is the only entertainment you have during the lockdown” and added that the IPL was a stress buster for the fans and distracted them from the distressing news on social media platforms. Similarly, Pat Cummins, an Australian cricketer posted on Twitter outlining that,“playing the IPL while the population is in lockdown provides a few hours of joy and respite each day at an otherwise difficult time for the country.”

The second wave of COVID-19 has struck India like a tsunami, not only impacting the population physically, but has also had a detrimental impact on the psychological well-being of individuals. With near and dear ones getting affected, the daily surge in the number of positive cases, and alarming fatalities has undoubtedly given rise to panic and hysteria along with feelings of stress, anxiety, worry, fear, and hopelessness. Further, living in a collectivistic society like India, that thrives on social interaction and support, now being devoid of human connection with everyone staying indoors to safeguard themselves has resulted in a sense of isolation and loneliness.

However, in the current unprecedented situation, the IPL has been a silver lining and a coping mechanism for many individuals to manage the adverse effects of the lockdown, as they continued to remain in the confines of their homes. It provided individuals of all age groups with some form of entertainment. Moreover, some people engaged and built their Dream 11 teams (i.e., fantasy sports platform) that allowed them to interact with friends and family from their respective residences, and at the same time feel connected with one another.

While the IPL stars kept us entertained through these difficult times, the current article explores some of the psychological challenges that the cricketers might have faced while being in the bio-bubbles away from their family and friends.

Difficulty in adapting to the bubble

Though the sporting authorities and organisations made all the possible efforts to create a physically safe and secure bio-bubble for the athletes to compete in, nonetheless, the adjustment to the bubble seemed to be mentally challenging for many of them. Being restricted to a common space allowed teammates to bond, but at the same time it turned out to be challenging.

For instance, Australian cricketer Glenn Maxwell stated, “It is very difficult. The stresses around that, especially when you are travelling, you are stuck in kind of a nightmare where you are reliving the same day over and over again. You start to become a bit sheltered from the outside world and you sort of forget how to have normal conversations with people outside. That can be very hard mentally and it is something which is a massive challenge for the cricketers.” His Indian teammate, Virat Kohli, reiterated stating, “It does get difficult at times because it is repetitive.”

Being away from one’s family for long periods of time also made adjusting to bio-bubbles extremely difficult for players. For instance, David Warner voiced, “The past six months has been quite challenging in itself getting used to these bubbles and not having the family with me.”

On top of everything else, performing in empty stadiums while a thick, grey soot engulfed the country could have a major psychological impact on the well-being of athletes along with impacting  their performances.

Bubble fatigue

The strictness of the tough and tight environment and being cut off from the outside world except for maintaining contact with loved ones through a screen (e.g., Zoom calls) and social media resulted in athletes experiencing “bubble fatigue”.

For example, Rajasthan Royals batting all-rounder Liam Livingstone flew back to England in the middle of the IPL season as he could not withstand the strict bio-bubble and cited that he experienced “bubble fatigue accumulated over the past year“. Similarly, Dawid Malan stated, “The other thing about bio-secure bubble is because people are not doing anything for a long period of time, more stuff gets thrown in. You have more meetings. You do more catch-ups. It actually tires you out a lot more mentally – the fact that you are constantly having to do stuff. That’s just not here (IPL) but in every bio-bubble we are in. There’s always something because whoever it is, he feels we need to get together all the time. Being away from cricket and being able to keep the mind away from things probably helps you more.”

Fear of contracting the virus

As the second wave of COVID-19 continued to spread like wildfire in India, the carefully created and monitored bio-bubbles did not seem to be disconnected from the horrific war like situation in the country, as the fear of contracting the virus gripped the cricketers, with some of them deciding to fly back home.

The Australian trio of Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, and Kane Richardson chose to withdraw mid-way from the IPL season stating personal reasons as crises continued to grow in India. While Ravichandran Ashwin, Indian cricketer at Delhi Capitals disclosed that he was leaving the IPL to support his family as they battled with COVID-19. 

To keep the anxiety of players at bay, the BCCI ramped up it’s bio-bubble safety measures by scheduling frequent tests at IPL venues. However, the panic surged as COVID-19 penetrated through the safety shield and disrupted the momentum of the tournament. Initially, two cricketers from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team – spinner Varun Chakravarthy and medium pacer Sandeep Warrier, contracted the virus. Soon after, the support staff of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) tested positive, along with more players from different teams joining the list.

The entry of the virus into the bio-bubble resulted in undeniable fear creating havoc and finally indefinite suspension of the tournament.

Trapped in a foreign country

Amidst the hysteria, the Australian Prime Minister’s sudden announcement on asking the Australian cricketers to make their “own arrangements” to return to their country, as they decided to close the borders due to the COVID-19 surge in India, did not help matters and aggravated their fears.

For instance, the KKR cricketer, David Hussey commented, “Everyone’s sort of a bit nervous about whether they can get back into Australia”. I dare say there’ll be a few other Australians a bit nervous about getting back into Australia.” Further, Andrew Tye, an overseas player who withdrew from the tournament said, “I just thought I’d get on the front foot and get home before I got locked out of the country…”

While the athletes battled with their own fears and apprehensions in the confinement of their bio-bubbles, some joined to fight India’s battle against Covid-19 by either donating money or by sending out messages to fans, acknowledging the threatening situation outside the bio-bubbles.

Eoin Morgan, KKR’s captain, urged people to stay at home and strictly follow safety protocols of wearing masks and washing hands. In his message he added, “these are tough times for the world. Having seen it first hand at home, how devastating it can be, on behalf of KKR, we wish everybody who is ill well. But ultimately if we stick together, we can beat this thing.”

Hence, during these difficult times the following Nelson Mandela’s quote holds true:

“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.”

To conclude, in the current article, the psychological challenges of the bio-bubble were identified and outlined by the authors based on the articles and comments of cricketers shared in the media. However, to counter the psychological difficulties of the bio-bubbles, gaining a comprehensive understanding around players’ experiences within the safety net, will allow sporting authorities to create a psychologically safe and secure environment for them. This standpoint was emphasized by Paddy Upton, former mental conditioning coach of India cricket team, who urged the world sporting bodies, including the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the BCCI, to understand the impact bio-bubbles have on athletes, in order to minimize its negative effects.

Image credit: Vecteezy

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Nainika Seth, Trainee Sport & Performance Psychologist with an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Loughborough University, UK.

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From Lockdown to Playing Grounds: Psychological Strategies to Help Athletes Cope with the New Normal

The sudden and unforeseen outbreak of the novel coronavirus has deeply obstructed the daily lives of individuals all across the world. While the majority of the population is discussing, debating and deliberating about tanking economies, fluid government policies, overburdened healthcare systems and several thousands of casualties caused by COVID-19, there is also a large population of sportspersons suffering from a sense of uncertainty about their future.

Over the past few months, the cancellation and postponement of major sporting events and the closure of all training facilities have disrupted orderly regimes of athletes and restrained them within the walls of their homes. The sense of confinement that has come from the quarantine period has had a debilitating impact on the psychological well-being of athletes. Sporting legends like Serena Williams, Clarisse Agbegnenou, and Michael Phelps have shared their personal experiences of undergoing a turmoil of emotions, accompanied by instability and confusion.

Nonetheless, now as countries begin to ease restrictions and lift the lockdowns, professional sporting events are recommencing with athletes carefully returning to their playing arenas. With the football leagues, Formula One, golf and cricket restarting its season behind closed doors, players are beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

While for some athletes returning to sports might seem like a breath of fresh air, others might be grappling with the mayhem and distress inculcated by the virus. Despite the lockdowns, the number of COVID-19 cases continue to surge rapidly across the sphere, leaving athletes on the horns of dilemma. Moreover, the increase of COVID-19 cases within the sporting fraternity with some prominent athletes like Novak Djokovic and a few others contracting the virus has further magnified the paranoia amongst sportspersons.

However, amid the pandemic, sporting authorities and organisations are making all the necessary efforts and leaving no stone unturned to create a physically safe and bio-secure environment for the athletes to compete in.

While all the necessary precautions are being taken and athletes are preparing themselves to return to sport, it is also necessary for them to work on the mental aspect of their game alongside fine tuning their technique and physically strengthening their bodies in order to manage the psychological demands of the current unprecedented situation.

As a Chartered Sport and Performance Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS), I outline the following psychological strategies that can help athletes adapt to the new normal and assist them in getting back to the field successfully:

Establish a re-entry plan by setting realistic goals

The journey of athletes returning back to sports after a prolonged period of sedentariness might be challenging with the path being obstructed with potholes and barriers. For instance, athletes might struggle to get back into their earlier fitness levels and also feel rusty while stepping out onto the field after a long break.

However, to safely return to training and avoid any injuries, it is important for athletes to have a re-entry plan by recalibrating their short-term and long-term goals with the assistance of their coaches and other support staff members.

When resuming practice, some athletes might find themselves feeling disoriented, lacking motivation and experiencing frustration, as the goals that they had set earlier have now diminished. Therefore, re-setting goals will help them navigate their way back into play proficiently, as it will provide them with a sense of direction and clear focus. Further, setting goals will have a positive impact on their motivation levels and will allow athletes to remain energised and productive during training and competitions.

Overall, setting realistic goals and progressing forward step-by-step will prevent overexertion and burnout among players, permitting them to gradually reach their optimal level of preparedness for future upcoming events. 

Control the controllables

In times of such uncertainty, many athletes might find themselves experiencing immense stress and anxiety by focusing on things that are not directly in their control. For instance, When will this end? What if I contract the virus? What impact will it have?

While these kinds of thoughts are valid and understandable, they can result in excessive stress and anxiety, fear, anger and disappointment, as athletes are investing a great deal of their time and energy over aspects that they have no control over. Therefore, it is essential for sportspersons to divert their attention to things they can control in the current bizarre situation.

Instead of constantly worrying about the unpredictable scenario and fearing contracting the virus, the athletes should divert their focus and energy on aspects that are within their control. For instance, athletes should take care of their nutrition and sleeping patterns, focus on exercising and training safely, follow physical distancing protocols and wear a mask and sanitise their hands when required.

During these challenging times, athletes should ‘control the controllables‘ to keep their stress and anxiety levels at bay.

Learn to cope with the absence of crowd during competitions

The sporting events, besides being defined by which player shines or team triumphs, is also characterised by its exhilarating atmosphere with the cheering and elated shrieks of the crowd when athletes exhibit mastery in their performances.

Within sports, it is believed that the presence of a crowd can facilitate performance, as athletes tend to push themselves and aspire to perform to their best abilities when friends, family or others are watching them. The presence of an audience is often believed to increase the arousal levels and in turn, enhance performance among skilled sportspersons.

Though the games are commencing after the hiatus caused by COVID-19; this time in the absence of spectators. The establishments are trying to reconstruct an illusionary experience by incorporating fake crowd noise, cardboard banners of fan cut-outs and creating Zoom walls via video calls on big screens. Nevertheless, some players and teams might still experience psychological challenges due to lack of viewers that can have a drastic impact on their performance. For instance, the performance of all the home teams in the German domestic circuit was impacted with them performing poorly compared to pre-Covid-19 games, by having scored fewer goals than they did in jam-packed arenas.

The show must go on

Under such circumstances, it is important for athletes to intrinsically motivate themselves in order to be aroused and stimulated throughout the competition. The athletes should concentrate on improving their performance rather than focusing on the final outcome of the sporting event. For instance, the players should focus on their personal performance goals and challenge themselves to outdo their own previous records. This way, the athletes will feel more in control of their performance and the personal satisfaction of attaining their goals will keep them involved and determined throughout their participation in sports.

First published in Psychreg on 2nd October, 2020

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The Psychological Challenges Being Faced by Students due to Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic that surfaced from Wuhan, China resulting from a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection or COVID-19 has in its wake ensued a socio-economic calamity, setting ‘sense of security’ on fire causing mass hysteria thereby disrupting the psychological well-being of mankind.

Despite the lockdowns, the number of COVID-19 cases in India continue to surge at a rapid rate with several thousands of critically ill patients being admitted to hospitals daily. As healthcare professionals stand on the line of defense, the rest of the world hangs in a limbo battling hysteria, misinformation, monotony, and panic. In the current scenario, mental health suffers irreparably as every individual becomes an island battling his or her own grievances, despite being sheltered under their safe havens. Among the deeply impacted is also the large population of students in India and across the globe alike, trying to rein in the youthful exuberance that burns into hostility, turmoil and violent outbursts with each passing day. The empty playgrounds, vacant cafeterias, forlorn malls and educational institutions standing still in pin drop silence, hints at the destructive agony the youths suffer in today’s quarantined reality.

Suffering the looming unpredictability from the confines of their homes over the past few months has left students across the country feeling extremely stressed, experiencing immense anxiety and disappointment.Therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the psychological challenges being faced by most of the students of our nation in order to support them efficiently during these challenging times. The major psychological challenges that students battle today with are as follows:

Stress and Anxiety. With nowhere to go and nothing to do but wait for the virus to die, the overactive human brain is bound to short circuit while mulling over a thousand things that didn’t go as planned. With mid-way cancellation of final board examinations and now the university and entrance examinations hanging in balance, has crushed students with unanswered questions and further resulted in them experiencing exaggerated amounts of anxiety. For students with international study plans, the lockdowns have been like a hammer to their well curated plans. In the light of the pandemic, with increasing unemployment and economic disruption, suddenly academics and career prospects don’t seem so foolproof.

In India, the rapid digitalization of educational services in the face of an inadequate infrastructure resulting in connectivity glitches and cyber insecurity has been a significant issue garnering concern. The overnight shift to making classes online without considering the immense digital divide has also been a major stressor. Although, the educational institutions have easily transitioned to the online medium to continue teaching, a significant question that arises is – are the students actually learning?

Caught amidst attending virtual classes, experiencing connectivity issues coupled with long hours of screen time is causing eye damage and a perpetual state of tiredness called zoom fatigue among students. On top of this, there is constant pressure on students to learn and grow independently in the absence of their teachers and peers. Thus, students are tightly strung to keep things afloat. In addition, all this stress is manifesting itself among students through hostility, irritability, mood swings, dysfunctional sleeping and eating cycles.

With the insane death numbers and the fraudulent data flooding the social media, mass hysteria is being fuelled. Between the uncertainty and the vivid news coverage, the fear of losing a loved one or facing death has become very prevalent and alive.

Furthermore, the anticipatory anxiety over newer disruptions, changing syllabus, schools re-opening and changing personal academic expectations is resulting in students being stressed and anxious fervently during the lockdown.

Demotivation and procrastination. Educational institutions with their structured routines, time-tables, inter-house activities, rigorous curriculums and timely evaluations promote uniformity, structure and a sense of control among students. The morning assemblies, mentor sessions and healthy competitions help provide a positive direction to the youthful angst by boosting their morale. However, in the face of the pandemic, it is extremely difficult and challenging to re-create the enthusiasm and kinship of a classroom from behind a virtual screen.

With spending the majority of their time at home, students are now struggling to cope with the unexpected disruption in their routines, thus lacking motivation and are procrastinating way more than ever before. In normal circumstances, most students would promptly complete their assignment the night before submission as the fear of physically facing the teacher would act as a driving force to complete the task, even if they are not enthusiastic about the given assignment. With online classes, that motivation is lacking. Furthermore, students sit through one online class after another, too tired to learn but alert enough to attend to roll calls.

While the studies may continue as usual, the educational upbringing has come to a halt, leaving students vulnerable to their own potentials. These factors have reduced motivation that in turn is leading to lapses in academic performance of students during Covid-19. 

Isolation. Human beings are social animals. The sense of confinement that has come from the quarantine phase is counterproductive to mental health and well-being. Social distancing is like a double-edged sword. Although it is the strongest defence against this pandemic, it is also plainly destructive to the quality of life. Physical interaction (be it a handshake, a smile or a hug) and ceremonies (be it weddings, graduations or even funerals) assure the warmth of human company, thereby adding meaning to life. However, the mandates to maintain physical distancing and social  restrictions during the pandemic has made it challenging to keep loneliness at bay.

Educational institutions act as catalysts in forming friendships and building connections. Physical interactions among like-minded individuals inspire growth, create memories and serve as a foundation for life time alliances, but above all make learning recreational. However, attending online classes has deprived students of all these opportunities and resulted in them feeling isolated due to lack of face-to-face interactions.

The fear of contracting the virus is also steadily distancing students away from family, friends and neighbours, embedding in them a foreboding sense of loneliness. The solitude created by the pandemic gently tightens around their necks like a necklace gone wrong and these moments of distress make students more vulnerable to psychological ailments.

Coronavirus has changed the world into a reality that has threatened the normalcy that students have been used to. It is perilously close to destroying the progress made over the years, both socially as well as psychologically. While everyone suffers at the hands of this pandemic, students are the most susceptible to its manipulations. Therefore, it is essential for the government and other concerned educational authorities to make provisions of peer support networks and online psychological support across the country to help students cope with the current situatio n efficiently and to keep their morale lifted.

“Tough times never last, but tough people do” – Robert H. Schuller

Image credit: Freepik

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Vaani Barmola, a student of B.Sc. Clinical Psychology

Nanaki J. Chadha, Chartered Sport & Performance under the British Psychological Society (BPS). Alongside, a researcher and doctoral student at Staffordshire University, U.K.

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We’re Still in the Midst of COVID-19. Here’s How We Can Support Athletes

With the worldwide lockdown and mandates to maintain physical distancing, athletes are quarantined or isolated in their houses in an attempt to curtail the virus. While some athletes are recouping by engaging in activities like cooking, painting and watching films, others might be struggling to cope with the disruption in their normal training routines and experiencing excessive anxiety and stress.

During such an unprecedented time, there is a constant influx of information concerning the impact of the current pandemic on athletes’ mental health and some athletes have shared their concerns as they go from being extremely active to a sedentary lifestyle.

In a recent article, Serena Williams expressed that: ‘Now, I’ve been social distancing for actually a really long time, for probably two weeks now, and every little thing makes me go crazy. And by anxiety I mean I’m just on edge. Any time anyone sneezes around me or coughs I get crazy. I don’t hang out with anyone, and when I say anyone I mean my daughter.’

Also, Clarisse Agbegnenou, French judoka and Rio 2016 silver medallist shared a similar reaction: ‘[The uncertainty about when we will be able to train and compete] is very difficult to handle; I like to schedule things in advance. Being in the fog really turned me down. I’m learning how to be another person, to live day by day, which is not easy. I’m learning how to be patient in uncertainty. This is not easy.’

The sentiments shared by the athletes regarding the impact of the pandemic on their mental well-being is something that athletes all across the globe are grappling with and is a concern that needs to be addressed.

In the current scenario, video technology has come to the rescue and is being used by sporting personnel to minimise the impact of lockdown on athletes who can now be socially connected. For instance, Special Olympic Texas launched an initiative where athletes, coaches and families are staying connected online through conversations, posting entertaining videos and engaging in daily puzzles to eliminate the sense of isolation.

Similarly, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) introduced an online education programme for athletes and coaches, with prominent speakers delivering online lectures on various topics related to strength and conditioning, physiotherapy and injury prevention, sports medicine, nutrition, and sports psychology.

Overall, a novel initiative to keep athletes and coaches engaged in the wake of the nationwide lockdown.

Delivering sport psychology through virtual means

During such an extraordinary time, I as a sport and performance psychologist find myself extending psychological support to athletes through virtual means, such as video calling, phone calls, e-mail or text messages, and web-based programs.

Telepsychology or teletherapy has been around for more than a decade now, but the outpouring of mobile phone users and easy access to fast broadband connections has created greater opportunities to provide psychological support to athletes while adhering to the physical distancing norms. Although, engaging in a traditional face-to-face interaction with athletes is always preferred.

Nevertheless, in the midst of the current pandemic, providing support to athletes by video-call, or simply over the phone helps to mirror the traditional one-to-one consultation to some degree.

Advantages of delivering sport psychology through virtual means

In the midst of the lockdown, the delivery of sport psychology using technology will allow practitioners to provide psychological support to athletes not only close to their region, but to athletes located all across the globe, while they attend sessions from the comfort of their own homes. Practitioners can also conduct team sessions by having teammates communicate and participate on common platforms (e.g., Zoom, Cisco-Webex, and Google Meets), while being thousands of miles apart from one another.

Also, the sudden outbreak of the pandemic has brought a set of challenges for para-athletes and imposes immense strain on them. In a recent article, Sundar Singh Gurjar, the World Para Athletics champion, emphasised to maintain good psychological health during lockdown: ‘Practising at home is different from handling the pressure on the field. It can affect your mind if you are not competing for a long time. Disabled athletes must regularly practice yoga and meditation.’

Therefore, in such challenging times, providing psychological support to para-athletes is also necessary, and can be done through an innovative online platform called Microsoft Teams, which with its various unique features makes it accessible not just for persons with restricted movement but also for individuals with vision or hearing disabilities.

Indeed, Nipun Malhotra, the CEO of Nipman Foundation, and a disability rights activist endorsed that: ‘Having tried at least half a dozen such video communication technologies, I find it safe to say that Microsoft Teams is miles ahead when it comes to accessibility and persons with disabilities.’

Disadvantages of delivering sport psychology through virtual means

Though online delivery has its advantages, nevertheless, it comes with its own limitations. For instance, there might be instances where poor connectivity and technology glitches interrupt the session, hence, compromising the quality of these sessions and resulting in an exasperating experience for the athlete.

While technology is empowering, it can also be restrictive, especially in a country like India, where the digital disparity is so stark that access to technology for athletes living in rural areas is a challenge. In a conversation with Viren Rasquinha, the CEO of Olympic Gold Quest and former Indian hockey captain, mentioned that: ‘Most athletes that I have seen, specially in sports such as boxing and wrestling, do not come from privileged backgrounds, and internet connectivity is a problem in rural areas.’

Moreover, online sessions might not be for everyone, as some athletes might find it challenging due to lack of space and privacy in their homes. Whereas, others might find it uncomfortable to interact with the sport psychologist for the first time through a mobile or computer screen.

This view was concurred by Viren as he stated that: ‘Some athletes find the first session difficult online without knowing the sport psychologist from before, which impacts their working relationship. Also for some, privacy is a concern, especially for those who are based in an academy or hostel.’ Further, it becomes difficult for the practitioners to observe non-verbal cues during an online session that otherwise can aid in building rapport and gaining a more accurate understanding of their needs.

Although the amalgamation of technology with sport psychology practice presents unique challenges, nevertheless, sport psychology sessions’ being digitally accessible to the sporting population is currently the need of the hour and the ‘new normal’ of the lockdown period.

First published on Psychreg on 21st May, 2020.