The Psychology of a Win!

The Psychology of a Win!

Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup 2016

There are many reasons that the city of Pittsburgh and Penguins fans afar are basking in the glory of last night’s Stanley Cup win! If you are like many of the fans, last night’s win may have left you reeling in the energy, perhaps noticing a burst of confidence, optimism, and even sexual energy. Of course psychology has a way of understanding just what happens for us as fans, when our victorious team landed the winning goal into the net, bringing home yet another Stanley cup victory for our city.

According to a research study conducted by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the main reason that fans enjoy that rush of endorphins comes down to heightened testosterone levels when their favorite sports team wins. The study was able to measure testosterone levels in self-identified sports fans as they watched their teams win and at others times watching them lose. The study concluded that those watching their favorite team win had a surge in testosterone and those watching their team lose had a significant dip in testosterone.

Testosterone is more than a “male” hormone. It is a key player in the health and mood of both men and women, and according to the National Institute of Health, Testosterone plays a role in:

• Mood and wellbeing
• Energy
• Confidence
• Sex drive/libido

So Pittsburgh, enjoy the win and all of the feel good energy that goes along with it! While we revel in The Stanley Cup today, there may be an opportunity for mindfulness, when we think about those San Jose Sharks fans. The laws of balance that govern all things dictate that what goes up shall to come down, and all of the positive mood, confidence, and energy of the win becomes just the opposite when we feel the effects of a loss, resulting in lower mood, lower energy, pessimism, and even at times aggressiveness. That however, is  certainly not where our great city is today, and on that note, let us enjoy the sweet rush of victory!

Go Pens!

In celebration and optimism,

The Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh

830 Western Avenue

Pittsburgh Pa 15233

412-322-2129

For more reading on testosterone and the mentioned study, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9811365