Skewed to the Right: Sport, Mental Health and Vulnerability

There has always been a fascination with what makes an elite performing sportsperson, but few have taken a deep look into what the cost of that might be. Dr Amy Izycky tackles this discussion with amazing detail and insight but also with sensitivity. If you are interested in truly understanding elite performance in sport then this is a book you must read.

That what makes a person exceptional in sport can also be their ultimate weakness. Dr Amy Izycky has cleverly combined storytelling alongside a more scientific narrative, based in theory. Bringing this all-important phenomenon home to us all, in such an interesting way.

Skewed to the Right. Even the title of this book captured my imagination and has been well thought out. As a medical doctor working in several sports over several decades, I have been confronted as a "front line" health worker to address many of the issues that Dr Amy Izycky has highlighted in her excellent work. The text has been eloquently put forward in this highly readable and informative book. The mental health and welfare issues of so many of our athletes are brushed under the carpet and as a society we have yet to seriously open up and address the harm that has been and is being done. Just like the government paper Duty of Care by Tanni Grey-Thompson, Skewed to the Right should be a compulsory text for any person working in sport who genuinely wishes to face up to the challenge of mental health. Amy Izycky addresses areas of controversy head on and this refreshing and necessary approach underlines that such issues should not be controversial because as a society we should be addressing them as mainstream concerns. Then we may be able to adopt good practice and truly demonstrate a duty of care. I for one will be a better practitioner for reading this highly informative, well-structured book. I believe that many more people who have been exposed to the idiosyncrasies and questionable practice in elite sport, will say the same.

Dr Amy Izycky delivers an informative and really interesting insight into the psychology of mental health within professional sports. Skewed to the Right is a MUST-have handbook to anyone involved in sports. Often overlooked within the industry in the pursuit of elite performance, mental health is brought to the forefront and explored in detail that really hits home and gets you thinking. The case studies and discussions she provides not only encourage you to understand the various mental health issues that occur but also allow you to identify and highlight when you may be tipping over or, as the title states, "skewing to the right" in your own life.

'An exploration of the liminal space where sporting achievement and mental ill health are uncomfortable bedfellows, this book feels long overdue. [...] Izycky asks difficult questions, explores paradoxes, isn't afraid to draw a conclusion where it's warranted but is equally comfortable to sit with not-knowing. She writes with clarity, explaining key concepts and addressing issues that appertain far beyond the sports field alone.'