CRICKETERS being called ‘dons’; stories of bust-ups between athletes, and occasional reports of discord in training camps.

As the local population continues to come to terms with statistics from a recent study conducted by psychiatrist Professor Fred Hickling which showed that nearly one million Jamaicans suffer from some type of personality disorder, another local psychiatrist, Dr Aggrey Irons, has told the Sunday Observer that some of the country’s athletes can be counted among that number.

The study, carried out by Don Anderson & Associates, showed that two out of five Jamaicans, or around 40 per cent of the population, are eligible for a diagnosis of personality disorder.

However, Irons told the Sunday Observer he believes more than half the population suffers from personality disorders, but added that it should not be cause for alarm.

“A personality is simply the sum, the total of our problem-solving behaviours — behaviour is everything that we think, everything that we say, and everything that we do.

“If we have a personality disorder it means that we have a problem with how we deal with life. It does not mean that we have a mental illness in terms of the definition of mental illness per se,” he said.

Irons added that the nature of sport meant athletes in any discipline could qualify for a diagnosis of personality disorder.

“Because athletes are a particular type of high-energy, high-focus type of person and because athletic success requires problem-solving behaviours… co-ordination… so many skills that are even more than the normal human being, then you are going to find that some of our athletes would need personality adjustment in terms of how they interact,” he said.

Irons, because of the nature of his profession, could not go into specifics, but he has worked with many national teams and athletes in his more than 30-year career as a psychiatrist.

“I’m not going to call any names, but if you think about a number of our footballers, cricketers, track and field athletes; many of the high profile ones past, present… it would be good if they focus on solving those areas that would lead to them being described, quite accurately, as having a personality disorder,” he said.

“Those who have been willing to accept help, they have done extremely well,” he added.

Professor Hickling confirmed to the Sunday Observer that the study was financed by a grant provided by the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports, and Education (CHASE) Fund with field work taking approximately six months to complete.

The study, though not yet published, reveals that many of the persons who suffer from personality disorders come from the lower socio-economic sector of society.

It is no secret that many Jamaican athletes come from lower socio-economic backgrounds and use their athletic talent as a means of escaping poverty.

Irons noted that it was not a requirement that to be a good athlete one must have a personality disorder.

“No, not at all. It helps if you have a high functioning ego — a high function of ability to co-ordinate your own personal satisfaction and the satisfaction of those around. You have high self-esteem and you believe in yourself,” he stated.

The reverse, he said, is not true — suffering a personality disorder can get in the way of an athlete’s success.

“Absolutely… it can get in the way of how you relate to others, including your coaches… your fellow athletes, and your population that is supposed to be behind you and it can impede your ability to give of your best when needed,” he explained.

He noted the distinction between the challenges male and female athletes may suffer.

For the males, their coach might be the first stable male figure in their lives up to that point, while many females, regardless of their sporting ability, have to strike a balance with inter-personal relationships with their “men folk”.

“Sometimes that can be very debilitating, especially if the relationships aren’t working out, or if those relationships are abusive,” Dr Irons said.

While conceding there was no magic pill to cure a personality disorder, he outlined a number of methods which may be used to treat personality disorders, including ‘cognitive therapy’.

This is “…Where you learn and you literally use your brain to cure your brain. You learn new problem-solving techniques… new relational techniques…you learn how to live together properly… how to respect yourself and others. All of this is inherent in the various types of personality disorder, but different ones have different foci,” he said.