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Marcus_1
Marcus_1's picture
My road to recovery

Following a recent bit of depression and anxiety brought on by events at work and my younger brother going through a messy as hell divorce, I let myself go a fair bit and stopped training (just to get some time).

Well, anyway, my work chucked me on a Feel Well Live Well course which, after just 2 sessions has got me pulling my finger out of my arse and getting myself sorted out.

Due to the depression, I did what most people do and started drinking more alcohol (not to a level of being an alcoholic, just more than I had been), then I was getting takeaways instead of cooking (comfort food I believe), anyway, this saw me hit a weight of 80kg, bearing in mind I am only 5ft5, that is not a good weight.

Since this course, I have realised I need to eat better, drink far less and train more. So, first thing - sorting out diet, this was aided by my wife starting Slimming World which has essentially helped me eat much much better. Drink - we are now making better "concious" decisions not to buy that bottle of wine when shopping etc and am even exchanging an evening alcoholic drink for a cup of green tea.

I joined a gym and try to train at least twice a week plus swimming with the kids etc. 

This all started about 2-3 weeks ago, weighted myself this morning and I am down to 75.3kg, not bad weight loss and I am feeling much better. And to top it all off, my son and I am training in Shotokan as of tonight, I am hoping this bit of time just he and I helps his behaviour and builds stronger bonds between us as well as being something I identified as missing in my life...a life without Karate was missing so much!

Les Bubka
Les Bubka's picture

Hi Marcus,

Well done for recognising the problem, and taking action. Great results, keep up good work and it will only get better.

Kind regards,

Les

Iain Abernethy
Iain Abernethy's picture

Hi Marcus,

Well done mate! I have also fought depression and anxiety. Hardest thing anyone can ever do … and that’s normally on top of the extreme hardships that caused the issues in the first place.

Depression and anxiety are an inevitable consequence of having to deal with too much for too long. Just like our bodies, our minds have limits and when pushed beyond those limits for long periods time, injury and illness is very likely.

Battling back can from that can take herculean strength. Sound like you’re doing good. Well done!

Proud of you for sharing too. Being open and honest about it is hugely helpful to others in the same boat.

One of my teachers once advised me that “your training will be your salvation”. He was right. I’m delighted you are finding the same.

All the best,

Iain

Anf
Anf's picture

Well done for recognising the problem and tackling it. I too have a constant battle with depression and anxiety, though thankfully I pretty much have it under control now. Apart from training, which really does help, something that works for me is I've practiced a little mental trick. Whenever I start sinking back down, I ask myself what triggered this latest episode. Very often it is the slightest thing which subconsciously I've blown out of proportion. Sometimes it's not even anything that really happen, but just a stupid thought that popped into my head for no reason and I allowed myself to dwell on it and blow that out of proportion too. Catching yourself doing such things drags it right out of the subconscious where it can sneak about and ruin your, into the conscious logical bit of your mind where you can see it for what it is and tackle it.

With regards to training, what works for me and might work for you is, and you'll hear this a lot I bet, is to give it 100% But for me that doesn't mean 100% physical effort until you burn out. It means 100% focus on the training in the moment. Then it almost becomes like meditation. The world outside the dojo ceases to exist for what is probably a couple of hours, but the notion of time goes too :)