Health
Super Bowl and sports fan depression: How to cope when your team loses, according to mental health experts
You win some, you lose some — and the Super Bowl every year is no exception.
As the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers went at it in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday night, fans were headed either for a victory dance or a major let-down — and we all know the dramatic outcome by now, with the Chiefs taking it in overtime by a score of 25-22.
So what happens when your favorite team loses? Experts say a loss could lead to sports fan depression.
SUPER BOWL QUIZ! HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SUNDAY’S BIG GAME?
Although not clinically recognized as a medical condition, sports fan depression is a “very real experience for avid sports fans,” said licensed professional counselor Jill Lamar, who is based in Pennsylvania.
“Sports fan depression occurs when your team or favorite player loses to the competition,” she told Fox News Digital.
A Chiefs fan (left) and a 49ers fan react to plays in previous games. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“For those who are overly invested in the outcome of sporting events — especially something as titanic as the Super Bowl — their emotional attachment to their hometown or favorite team can get in the way of their happiness and mental health.”
Lamar, who provides counseling services at Thriveworks in Philadelphia, noted that sports fan depression can leave people with feelings of sadness, frustration, numbness and lack of interest in activities they previously enjoyed.
These emotions can last for two weeks or more after the game ends, she said.
TRAVIS KELCE’S BARBER REVEALS WHAT TAYLOR SWIFT THINKS OF KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BOYFRIEND’S ELECTRIC HAIRCUT
“You may be distracted at work or withdraw socially, especially now that the season that brought you together with your fellow fans has ended,” she said.
Christopher La Lima, PhD, a licensed psychologist at NYU Langone, also discussed the condition with Fox News Digital, noting how much goes into being a sports fan.
Chiefs fan “KC Mike” yells out to Chiefs players during warmups before a game against the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 16, 2021. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“Time, effort, money,” he said. “Being a sports fan can involve a shared common cause and building of a community.”
The psychologist echoed that sports fans may experience feelings of loss and grief when their team loses.
NFL PLAYERS REACT TO TAYLOR SWIFT EFFECT HEADING INTO SUPER BOWL LVIII
“Loss can be experienced in many ways, such as through the loss of a loved one, a relationship, aspects of health, a job or a role where someone feels a sense of purpose,” he said.
“While sports fan depression is not a formal mental health diagnosis, the emotional distress is real.”
Clocking the warning signs
The friends and partners of sports fans are “most likely well aware of the impending reactions to their team losing,” according to Lamar.
Some warning signs of sports fan depression include becoming frustrated and upset when your team drops a ball, a field goal bounces off the goal post or a play is thwarted by the opposition, Lamar said.
Frustration during a game can build until it becomes a “frightening rage,” a psychologist said. (iStock)
This condition most often appears in men, although it is not exclusive to one gender alone.
“Everyone who cares about sports is rooting for someone or a particular team,” she said. “And their disappointment will show — a sigh, the occasional frustrated outburst, a sad face at the end of the game as they leave the bar or turn off the game.”
HALLOW CHRISTIAN PRAYER APP TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST-EVER SUPER BOWL COMMERCIAL
“If these reactions continue to grow into sadness and irritability way past the last whistle, it could be a sign of sports fan depression.”
Frustration during a game can build until it becomes a “frightening rage,” according to Lamar.
But after the game, sports fan depression turns that anger “inward” and can “become debilitating,” she said.
Jessica Rodriguez and her husband Tony Rodriguez of Concord, California, react while watching the San Francisco 49ers play the Kansas City Chiefs during a Super Bowl watch party at SPIN San Francisco on Feb. 2, 2020, in San Francisco, California. (Philip Pacheco/Getty Images)
While the typical response of a sports fan after a big loss is a few days of complaints and sadness, people experiencing sports fan depression can experience symptoms for months.
LaLima stressed the importance of making the distinction between sports fan depression and recognized depressive disorders.
HERE’S WHY CHICKEN WINGS, NOT CHIEFS OR 49ERS, ARE THE REAL STARS OF SUPER BOWL SUNDAY
“Clinical depression, and more specifically major depressive disorder, involves specific diagnostic criteria and persisting symptoms that cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of functioning,” he said.
Some major depressive disorder symptoms can include depressed mood, loss of interest in activities, significant changes in appetite or weight, fatigue, changes in sleep, and feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, according to La Lima.
How to cope
Since not everyone can be a winner, Lamar and La Lima offered some tips on how to cope with the initial wave of sadness after a loss.
Lamar suggested that “putting things into perspective can help shift a sports fan’s view of the outcome, whether it’s good or bad.”
People experiencing sports fan depression can see symptoms continue for months, according to experts. (iStock)
“With many platforms showing games 24/7, it’s easy to let a preoccupation with sports become a mind-numbing habit bordering on addiction,” she said.
“Don’t let your interest in sports overtake the other more important aspects of your life.”
49ERS VS CHIEFS: 6 EASY SUPER BOWL SNACK RECIPES TO SERVE ON GAME DAY
Lamar encouraged sports fans to “take a deep breath” and list their goals and the “priorities necessary to realize them.”
While people tend to think in “black and white terms” when experiencing negative emotions, La Lima advised sports fans to think more flexibly.
“Problem-solving and impulse control can improve when these negative emotions become less intense,” he said.
“Don’t let your interest in sports overtake the other more important aspects of your life,” advised a licensed mental health counselor. (iStock)
“When acting in these moments, I like to think, ‘Cool the iron before you get burned.’”
Other coping skills can include taking a brief separation from sports, seeking out other distractions and using self-soothing techniques like deep breathing and self-care, La Lima said.
“Tackle feelings of emptiness after a big loss by identifying where you feel purpose, [such as] in relationships with family and friends, and in your interests and community,” he said.
Fans should make different use of the time previously dedicated to the sport, said an expert.
“Sports can provide a structure for socializing … It can be helpful to stay socially connected and lean into social support,” noted La Lima.
Lamar also suggested making an effort to connect with friends who love the same sport — as well as with those who don’t.
San Francisco 49ers fans cheer in the first quarter of their NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Ray Chavez/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)
And when the season is over, Lamar said, fans should make different use of the time previously dedicated to the sport.
“Learn a new skill, pick up chess, take a cooking class, join a MeetUp group — anything that sounds interesting,” she suggested.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
LaLima added that difficult feelings often need to be spoken about, as “holding onto them can make us feel like a shaken soda bottle.”
“Rather than letting pressure build and opening it all at once, loosen the cap a little at a time,” he advised. “Talk about day-to-day thoughts and feelings in real time.”
Christopher Nicholas La Lima, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and clinical assistant professor at NYU Langone. (NYU Langone Health)
The psychologist reiterated that depressive disorders often require evaluation and treatment from mental health professionals.
“Those concerned should seek professional mental health support in this regard,” he said.
Before Sunday night’s game — which saw the Chiefs take the win in dramatic fashion in overtime — Lamar joked ahead of the final outcome on Sunday night that fans should “wave to Taylor Swift,” no matter what.
“She’s made one helluva effort to get there,” she said.
For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com.com/health.
Health
Could ‘humanmaxxing’ actually help you live longer? Here’s what experts say
Medical expert analyzes trending IV therapy, concerns about peptides
Dr. Mike Varshavski joins ‘Fox & Friends’ for Wellness Week, examining trending self-care treatments. He evaluates IV vitamin therapy, highlighting its hospital-critical role versus unproven benefits for general wellness, citing potential risks like vitamin imbalance. Dr. Mike also differentiates creatine, a research-backed supplement, from unregulated peptides marketed with unverified anti-aging and muscle growth promises, urging caution for patients.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
We are officially living in the “maxxing” era.
From “looksmaxxing” to improve appearance to “sleepmaxxing” for better rest, these viral terms all point to the same goal: squeezing every ounce of potential out of a specific trait or habit.
With a growing focus on optimizing wellness and maximizing longevity, the trend has evolved into what’s known as “humanmaxxing,” sparking a bigger question: How far can people go to optimize the human body?
ANTI-AGING BENEFITS LINKED TO ONE SURPRISING HEALTH HABIT
While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions.
While there is no single definition of humanmaxxing, the trend generally refers to efforts to optimize health, performance and longevity through a combination of lifestyle habits, health tracking, supplements and, in some cases, more experimental interventions. (iStock)
For some, the movement begins with biohacking. According to Dave Asprey, a Texas-based wellness expert who refers to himself as the “father of biohacking,” optimizing your body starts with changing your environment.
Asprey has defined biohacking as “the art and science of changing the environment around you or inside you so that you have full control of your own biology.”
COULD HUMANS LIVE TO BE 150 YEARS OLD? GENETICIST SHARES WHY IT MAY BE POSSIBLE
His public advice focuses on boosting cellular energy through everyday choices like intermittent fasting, high-fat diets, red-light therapy and supplement routines.
“My goal right now is 180 years, because I’m doing something about it now instead of waiting,” he once said.
Clinical experts warn that extreme self-experimentation skips the rigorous safety checks that typical medical science requires. (iStock)
Others have embraced a more data-driven approach. Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint in Los Angeles, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data.
“Methodically, we sought to build an algorithm with science and data that could better care for me than I can myself,” Johnson wrote on his website. “My mind did not have the authority to override the algorithm.”
THINKING ABOUT PEPTIDES? DOCTORS REVEAL KEY DOS AND DON’TS AS ‘WILD WEST’ MARKET GROWS
Johnson’s routine involves tracking hundreds of health metrics, eating a precisely measured diet, taking dozens of supplements, and undergoing advanced medical treatments in an effort to reduce his biological age.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
At the far end of the spectrum are those investing in technologies aimed at pushing the limits of human performance.
London-based tech investor Christian Angermayer recently described humanmaxxing as a strategy toward human maximization.
Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, creator of the multimillion-dollar longevity project Blueprint, argues that optimizing the body means removing human error from health decisions and instead relying on medical data. (iStock)
“I don’t think we should become something different, because I think humans are awesome, but I think we can maximize the potential [that] is already in us,” he said in an interview with The New York Times.
Angermayer’s investment firm, Apeiron Investment Group, focuses on technologies intended to help people “live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.” He also founded atai Life Sciences, a biotechnology company that develops psychedelic treatments for mental health conditions that are currently being evaluated in clinical trials.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions.
Public guidance from the National Institute on Aging notes that while some anti-aging therapies have shown promise in laboratory research, there is not yet sufficient evidence that they can safely extend human life.
As interest in humanmaxxing grows, mainstream health experts urge consumers to separate evidence-based wellness practices from experimental interventions. (iStock)
Clinical experts also caution that extreme self-experimentation can bypass the rigorous safety standards applied to conventional medical treatments.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
According to the Endocrine Society, taking substances such as testosterone or growth hormone without a medical need can lead to serious health risks, including cardiovascular complications and long-term disruption of the body’s chemical balance.
While many humanmaxxing habits overlap with standard healthy lifestyle practices, experts say consumers should be cautious of expensive or experimental interventions that promise dramatic anti-aging or longevity benefits without strong scientific evidence.
Health
New blood test detects 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases, beating current screenings
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A new test could make it easier to detect high-risk prostate cancer cases earlier.
The blood test, called Stockholm3, is showing promise in clinical trials, beating out the traditional, standard prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
In a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden studied the test’s efficacy in more than 12,000 men — mostly Swedish or European — aged 50 to 74.
NEW PROSTATE CANCER TEST PINPOINTS DISEASE BETTER THAN PSA OPTION, STUDY FINDS
All participants were tested with PSA and Stockholm3 and were followed for two years. During the follow-up period, 443 men were diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests.
Stockholm3 detected 90% of aggressive prostate cancer cases compared to 74% for PSA tests. (iStock)
Stockholm3 missed “significantly fewer” serious cancer cases than PSA. The number of men incorrectly classified as high-risk was similar across both tests, according to a press release.
Thorgerdur Palsdottir, a researcher at the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, wrote in a statement that one of the major challenges in prostate cancer is being able to identify the cases that are “truly dangerous.”
‘DILBERT’ CREATOR’S DESPERATE PLEA SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON ALTERNATIVE PROSTATE CANCER DRUG
“Our results show that Stockholm3 identifies significantly more aggressive cancer cases than PSA without increasing the number of unnecessary follow-ups,” she said.
“These results point toward a potential change in how prostate cancer screening can be conducted,” the researcher added. “A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures.”
“A more precise blood test could enable earlier detection of aggressive disease while reducing the number of unnecessary follow-up examinations and procedures,” a researcher commented. (iStock)
Study co-author Hari Vigneswaran, chief medical officer of Stockholm3-maker A3P Biomedical, commented on these “promising” findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING AFTER 70: EXPERTS QUESTION GUIDANCE AFTER BIDEN’S DIAGNOSIS
He confirmed that the PSA has been the standard for prostate cancer screening since the 1990s despite its “well-documented limitations.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“It leads to invasive and costly follow-up testing, contributes to over-diagnosis of non-aggressive cancers and, most importantly, it misses a substantial share of aggressive disease,” Vigneswaran said.
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival is close to 100%. (iStock)
When aggressive prostate cancer is found while still confined in the prostate, the five-year survival rate is close to 100%, which highlights the importance of early detection, according to the doctor.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Data from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database show that metastatic prostate cancer has risen over the past decade, suggesting that “we have not improved early detection of the aggressive, curable disease that screening is meant to catch,” Vigneswaran said.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“The goal of screening is to find the cancers that need treatment while they are still curable, without raising the number of men who screen positive but don’t have aggressive disease,” he said.
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher. (Getty Images)
Stockholm3 could reduce the need for unnecessary MRIs and biopsies, according to the researcher.
The findings did have some limitations. Stockholm3 is an investigational device and is not available for sale in the U.S., Vigneswaran noted.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The test estimates a man’s risk of aggressive prostate cancer, but a biopsy remains the gold standard for confirming the disease.
The company plans to seek FDA approval to use the test for routine screening and will “generate the evidence needed to support that pathway, including U.S. data,” Vigneswaran said.
Health
This Protein Smoothie Trick Helps Women Over 40 Lose Twice as Much Fat
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Austin, TX5 minutes agoAustin-area schools compete at Texas 7-on-7 tournament
-
Alabama8 minutes ago
Authorities searching for missing boater on Logan Martin Lake
-
Alaska13 minutes agoAlaska Supreme Court to take up case on Dan J. Sullivan, decision expected by Tuesday
-
California18 minutes ago
CA state senator physically, verbally harassed at pride parade for Israel stance | The Jerusalem Post
-
Arizona20 minutes agoPhoenix homeowner fights ASU’s eminent domain bid to save pre-statehood historic home
-
Arkansas23 minutes agoArkansas’ first certified community-based doula more than a milestone | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
-
Colorado35 minutes agoSouthern Colorado remains in drought despite recent storms; NWS urges caution ahead of Fourth of July
-
Connecticut38 minutes agoCT Lottery Cash 5, Play3 winning numbers for June 28, 2026