<\/p>\n
Victor\u00a0Wembanyama and the Spurs surrendered a 29-point lead in a crushing loss to\u00a0the New York Knicks during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. For Spurs fans, it was hard to watch.<\/p>\n
Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) exults\u00a0during the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The Knicks came back from a 29-point deficit to defeat the Spurs,\u00a0107-106. They now lead the series 3-1.<\/p>\n
Sam Owens\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
For Spurs fans, the team’s collapse in the second half of Wednesday’s Game 4 of the\u00a0NBA Finals was hard to watch. Above,\u00a0Danny\u00a0Ramof wears his Spurs suit jacket while taking in the game at Atlee’s Rally in San Antonio.<\/p>\n
Andrew J. Whitaker\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
From left, Lindsay Sewell, Ben Sewell, Liam Thomas and Morgan Dalglish cheer on the Spurs as they watch Game 4 of the NBA finals\u00a0at Atlee’s Rally in San Antonio. The game ended badly for the Spurs, leaving fans stunned and dejected.<\/p>\n
Andrew J. Whitaker\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
Spurs fans are feeling down, and you can hardly blame them.<\/p>\n
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Their team didn’t just lose Game 4 of the NBA Finals to the New York Knicks. They lost in spectacular, soul-crushing fashion, frittering away a 29-point lead. They lost in historic fashion: No\u00a0team had ever overcome such a large\u00a0deficit to win an NBA Finals game. Until Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
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Can the Spurs rebound from such a dispiriting defeat? Possibly. But our purpose here is not to handicap their chances. It’s to offer coping tips for fans who are struggling with morning-after feelings of downheartedness.<\/p>\n
“Sports depression” is not a clinical condition. But it is real and can affect fans’ mood, feelings of self-worth, ability to concentrate … even their sleep.<\/p>\n
There are proven methods of coping, and they center on finding ways to avoid reliving the disappointment. Here’s what psychologists and therapists who have studied the downside of fandom recommend.<\/p>\n
Don’t doom-scroll<\/p>\n
PrairieCare<\/a>, a psychiatric healthcare system in Minnesota, prescribes a “digital detox” for dejected fans: “Take\u00a0a step back from the incoming media and recognize your feelings rather than absorb someone else\u2019s perspective.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Abstain from X, Facebook and other online environments where you’ll be bombarded with reminders of the Spurs’ collapse. Social platforms rely on algorithms to divine your interests and passions and feed you more of what gets you worked up emotionally. So expect to see a lot of Spurs coverage and commentary in your feeds after Game 4. It won’t be pretty.<\/p>\n The answer? Stay off the platforms for now. You can go back when you’re ready.<\/p>\n Remember the 99.5% rule<\/p>\n Your emotional connection with the Spurs makes wins and losses seem more important than they are. It’s physiological: Research has shown that watching a favorite team win triggers a release of dopamine, the brain\u2019s \u201cfeel-good\u201d chemical.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the same neurotransmitter that is activated when we achieve personal success, reinforcing our emotional investment,\u201d writes Patrick McElwaine, a clinical psychologist in Newtown, Pa.<\/a> \u201cConversely, losses can activate areas of the brain associated with pain and disappointment, making sports heartbreak feel all too real.”<\/p>\n Keep reminding yourself it’s just a game.<\/p>\n Anthony J. Centore, founder of Thriveworks<\/a>, a nationwide provider of counseling and psychiatric care, urges downcast fans to pause and reflect on all the things that aren’t affected in the least by a loss.<\/p>\n