KL Rahul opens up about the effects of social media trolling on mental health of athletes: ‘None of us wants to perform badly’

“That’s something that sometimes affects me and a lot of the other boys as well. When we (athletes) truly need support, people feel they can or have the power to comment or say what they want. Just see what that person is going through,” Rahul said.

The cricketer also mentioned that no athlete purposefully gives poor performance; everyone works hard, and it is unfortunate that sometimes the results don’t go as per the plan. He added, “None of us wants to perform badly. This is our life. This is all we do. Like I said, I don’t know anything else apart from cricket.”

 

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Rahul also spoke about the hard work one puts as a sportsperson and noted, “That’s the only thing I do. Why would anyone assume that I am not serious about my game or that I am not working hard enough? And unfortunately, in sports, there is no connection. Like I said, you can work hard, like I do, but the result didn’t go my way.”

Talking about the effects of social media trolling on mental health, Vishnu Priya Bhagirath, a counselling psychologist said, “Trolling can cause significant harm and distress to the person facing it. It can have both physical and psychological effects such as disrupting our sleep cycle, lowering self-esteem, self-insecurity, depression and in extreme cases may lead to self-harm and suicidal ideation. It can be overwhelming for the individuals and increases the perception of negativity in their lives.”

The expert said that one can tackle social media trolling head on by developing self-esteem and believing in themselves, blocking the handles who are trolling them, reducing their social media usage and not responding to the negative comments. “Students should be educated about the ill-effects of social media and how to manage their emotions while dealing with criticism,” she said.

In the podcast, Rahul also shared his journey from being a small-town boy from Mangalore to becoming a three-format player for the Indian cricket team. He even spoke about his experience playing with the biggest cricketers, inside stories from the dressing room, and advice for his fellow athletes.

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