Depression is not a world that someone is aware of before he enters it. You may have heard of expressions in everyday life such as: ”I feel down… I don’t feel like doing anything… life goes on and it’s tomorrow is not relevant anymore. It was just a feeling.
But when life has no meaning?
Joy and spontaneity has changed into melancholy, despair, inertia and solitude. There is nothing to be interested in, nothing produces good feelings. There is just a lot of sadness and bad days.You just hope that everything returns to normal. First you don’t want to show your feelings to others, you don’t want to bother anyone and so you wear a mask over your face. Smile ”everything is just fine”, without the seeing anything. The last remaining forces will go to maintaining the mask and soon that mask begins to weight too much… finally it fall apart and so do you.
You’ve heard often time said to you: “I know what you’re going through. It will pass, just think positively and do things.” Far too often these kind of words make you only more depressed, because you know, that this person knows nothing at all about your feelings. You’re alone. Nothing and no one can help you. Alone, you & depression.
A depressed person often suffers far too long alone in silence and doesnt know how to ask for help. Many people who suffer from depression think they are alone with their illness as if they are th efirst and only ones to suffer from it. In addition, many victims of depression feel shame for their condition, because they aren’t able to do the same things they used to do before.
Where can the healing begin? What to do?
I am now a 23-year old dance student. For the first time I came into contact with depression was in high school in connection with an eating disorder. It followed by two years of an asymptomatic period and then total collapse. I didn’t know what was happening to me. Happy and outgoing, I became progressively fearful, anxious and isolated. I was no longer myself. I was at my very end and alone.
Then I began to speak. It was the first step. It has to be taken on my own –in spite of the fear and desperation but it was worth it. It followed by incredible support from those close to me, without them I would not be where I am now. The process was long and difficult, the improvement did not happen in a day, a month or even a year. In a sense I’m still going through the process as I am learning more and more about myself. The difference is that now I know more. If you experience struggling with these same things, take the first step and ask for help.You will not regret it. You are not alone, you are important and loved, you matter and are important to others.
Sports, movement and art have always been close to my heart. With them I live and rejoice. I managed to get rid of an eating disorder for the first time through with pole dancing. My self-esteem improved and I got a lot of workout friends. Control of eating changed into body control. I danced and I was happy.
Why pole dancing helped in particular?
It boosts your strength and boosts your happiness! A recent study of 45 stroke survivors with depression found that a 10-week strength training program helped reduce symptoms of depression (among numerous other benefits).
“Strength training is about mastery and control,” says Leslie Seppinni, PhD, a clinical psychologist and family therapist in Beverly Hills. “It requires full attention and concentration. More importantly, people can see the results, the outline of the muscles forming, from dedication and training.”
Just be sure to start slowly and use the assistance of a personal trainer if needed.”
In particular pole dancing requires a lot of strength, body control and concentration on what you are doing. It’s also really fun. I’ve heard many stories about how pole dancing has saved many people’s lives, increased their self-esteem and above all produced numerous successful experiences. I feel my pole dancing instructor’s job is very important, because I’ve gotten so much help from it and I know that so many others are also like me.If I can help people in this way, could there be anything greater? I am very grateful and happy about it.
Why exercise might be helpful for depression?
”Exercise certainly isn’t a cure for depression, but a study published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology found that heart-pumping, endorphin-boosting work outs actually promote happiness.
Researchers say that more physically active people reported greater general feelings of excitement and enthusiasm than less-active people. And beyond its protective effect against feelings of depression, exercise may reduce stress and help you secure a better night’s sleep. That’s why your favourite fitness routine can be an excellent addition to your depression treatment plan.
“Exercise stimulates the release of many of the brain chemicals thought to be in low supply when someone is battling depression,” explains David Muzina, MD, the founding director of the Cleveland Clinic Centre for Mood Disorders Treatment and Research.”
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We want to thank Suvi An. for sharing her story! And most important that she shared something so meaningful!
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