Cricket is a sport best enjoyed in the sunshine, but that doesn't mean the players have a sunny disposition.

 

Seasonal affective disorder, which is abbreviated to SAD, is a mental health condition which causes sufferers to experience extreme low mood in connection to a specific season.

 

Experts say that there are a surprising number of professional cricketers who suffer from SAD.

 

“Professional cricket is rife for SAD due to its seasonal and thus weather dependence,” says Dr Alistair Hooper, head psychologist for Hampshire Cricket Club.

 

He continued: “The quiet winter offers such a stark contrast to the summer when the players are busy, in the spotlight, being social and surrounded by teammates, supporters and staff.”

 

Symptoms of SAD include, persistent low mood, feelings of worthlessness, constant oversleeping and chronic cravings for carbohydrates.

 

Dr Hooper says: “The symptoms are normally very easy to recognise because they are very out of character for most professional cricketers.”

 

As well as SAD being common among cricketers, studies have shown that many cricketers suffer from a wide range of mental health issues. One study conducted by ex-cricketer David Frith in 2011 suggested that the suicide rate among English test cricketers was almost double that of the average UK male suicide rate.

 

Dr Hooper explains one of the reasons why cricketers seem to be more susceptible to mental health issues: “Cricket is a slow game which allows for a lot of introspection and it is has been well researched that there is a strong link between introspection and depression.”

 

As a response to mental health issues in the sport, The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) have now made it compulsory for professional cricketers to watch tutorials called ‘Mind Matters’ to help prevent and tackle mental health problems among players.