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Pole and mental illness
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MPoledancer, absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!! You have a way with words and I'm glad to be apart of something that so many feel so strongly about! Thank you for your share, that was great.
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PoleSticker, if changing a diet can help a major issue just think what your information can do those who suffer general bouts of depression and anxiety?!! You should certainly share!!! Since I have been working on my fitness levels and staying in remission I have had the desire to eat right and more healthy… here's the thing… with the tons of info out there who and what do you believe?
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^^^ I adhere with previous poster! please share! I can almost guarantee sugar is on the no no list, but what other foods do you avoid and besides the obvious normal healthy foods to up like veggies, any less common foods to strive for?
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^^^ I adhere with previous poster! please share! I can almost guarantee sugar is on the no no list, but what other foods do you avoid and besides the obvious normal healthy foods to up like veggies, any less common foods to strive for?
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The absolute without a doubt no no for me is gluten,fructose,soy and corn based grains (I do okay with rice) but gluten is the absolute worst. An excellent book to read that explains why it has such an impact on not only mental health but overall health is "Wheat Belly" by william davis. Before I gave up gluten my moods fluctuated so rapidly that literally one minute I was the happiest person and the next I was looking for ways to kill myself, it was an up and down rollercoaster that was severe all day long. I also felt very unstable blood sugars throughout the day.Wheat belly explains how gluten and grains impact blood sugar levels and I have seen for myself just how right it is because now I can eat sugary foods if I choose and have completely stable blood sugar. I have seen for myself that the things most people consider human and normal like gas,burping,bloating,congestion,headaches,sleepiness (just to name a few) are signs of gluten intolerance and I never have any of that now. I have seen medical miracles in myself and my family with just removing guten. I am a preacher of it lol but I can only say what I have personally experienced and witnessed. If you want to see if you will benefit clear your life of all gluten (check for hidden sources too like toothpaste and places you would never think it would be) give it 5 days of absolutely none and you will probably feel better by day two even. I have great reading resources but will only post if requested, definitely read wheat belly! I am so passionate about ending all human and animal consumption of this garbage after ending mine and my families suffering finally. 🙂
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@echo this site http://www.westonaprice.org/abcs-of-nutrition/health-topics is excellent if you are not already familiar with it, read through it definitely. my own beliefs are anti-food pyramid because of what I have learned on that site and sites like it but as long as I stay gluten free I feel great. I have only one ailment that no diet change has made better and that is benign premature heart beats and tachycardia everything else,oral,mental and physical health are better than ever.
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I know many many people who went gluten free, and I even worked at a natural food store for years that had weekly classes on everything under the sun including gluten banishing, and yet for some reason I didn’t think it applied to me lol! I am not suppose to have sugar because of my pcos, which is totally out of control along with my weight because I drink and consume normal amounts of sugar (we don’t do dessert hardly ever, occasional soda, but like whatever is in regular food). We usually eat a lot of home made stuff, and I have been deeply trying to move our household diet towards paleo style, not hardcore or anything but much much closer, which I am not but I think eliminates quite a but of gluten incidentally… I shall have to do some research!
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I suffer from major depression and self esteem issues. I find that pole dancing makes me feel better about my body and gets me through my depression better than anything else. I am so much better off and so greatful to my pole buddies for helping me get through my rough patches. Maybe it is just getting more exercise, but I find it is one of the few that I can consistantly stick with. I also work in a field with mostly men and it is nice to be a woman and spend quality time with my pole ladies 😉
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This is an awesome thread. It's very cool to see everyone sharing not only their stories of mental illness – but also their solutions. And even cooler that those solutions aren't always medication. I feel like in our society too often the emphasis is on letting someone else (usually doctors and their medication) fix us, and then blaming them if we don't get better, rather than taking control of our own lives.
Although almost no one can tell now, I have very severe rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Like poletrickster said, it means that your moods not only fluctuate wildly from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other, they also do it very rapidly. So rapidly, in fact, that I would loose track of where I was and who the people around me were. I went to doctor after doctor and they prescribed every medication under the sun. I took them – and when I didn't get better it was the doctor's fault because he prescribed the wrong medication or "just didn't get it." I lost friends because of the horrible things I would do when I was flipping out and then tell them "you can't blame me for that – it was the disease." This went on for years.
Then I ended up working in a remote part of Idaho, backpacking into the mountains to count fish. Not a situation that makes taking medication (or remembering to take medication) easy. And I ended up with a boyfriend I reeeeeeealllly liked (now my husband) who wasn't having any of the "you can't blame me for that – it was the disease" crap. And this was somewhere that it wasn't easy to obtain heavily processed food. So, all of a sudden there I was, excersizing a lot, eating really well and not being able to make excuses for myself. It was ROUGH at first – but slowly I got better. Really better, not the temporary better and then crash of medication.
I know this is supposed to be about pole and mental illness – but honestly, although I pole danced throughout all of it, pole wasn't what made me better. Pole is, however a major part of manintaining my sanity. As other people have said, working out seems to make things better. Sometimes I feel as though I get through by exhausting the mania. If I'm having a bad day I just dance longer and harder and, when I get to the point that I can't dance anymore I always feel better.
Teaching pole has also helped bunches. Now I'm responsible to my students as well. I can't allow myself to have mood swings while teaching and seeing someone "get" something for the first time is always going to put me in an awesome mood!
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So many great replies, so I'll try to keep it short. I have Social Anxiety, suffer from panic attacks, and have days that I literally do nothing but sit on the couch, eat, and use the bathroom. I've been on several different meds over the years, but am now off of all long term synthetic based medications. I take a compunded, natural medication that works for me, although I will say that I carry Xanax with me at all times because panic attacks are no fun! I tend to shut myself off from people, but I have found that pole has been something I can do with others and not even think about it being "social". I've never felt this with other exercise classes. There just something about pole that makes me feel "zen-like". The music, the strength you gain, the way it makes you feel sexy, the journey you take with others in this community and/or studio class….It's all good!
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I also suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. Fortunately I’m gaining more control every day and am 100% medication free. But it will always be something that creeps up from time to time. I’ve learned to see this as something that has been a part of my life since childhood but it doesn’t define me or control my actions. Pole and getting physically fit in general has done wonderful things for my overall mental health, but now it also importantly is a source of friendship and support in times of need. And I think that’s why pole didn’t just get me healthy but helps me stay healthy in the long term in a whole-being kind of way.
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Sometimes sharing is healing! I would NEVER wish any of these things on anyone but It's so nice to know that I'm not the only one who goes back and forth with anxiety & depression!!
This is such a great conversation!!!!
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Oh wow, poletrickster! I knew that our diets are important, but I had no idea it could influence our moods to such an extent! I will definitely look into pursuing a gluten-free diet and pass this information along to some of my friends. Thank you! 🙂
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Hey, guys. I made a video today, and Saphyre reminded me that this discussion was going on!! I thought I would post it here for all of you because it is very relevant to this topic.
https://www.studioveena.com/videos/view/5036a453-63a8-4daf-bf9b-0dfc0ac37250
PS You guys are not alone, so many people suffer from these types of mental illnesses. I've had my own very dark times, luckily right now is not one of them! But I can fully relate! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_heart1.gif
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I am a sufferer of anxiety, and I used to suffer depression, as well. I've been without depression for about four years or so, and still going strong on that front.
The anxiety, though… it's not "supposed" to manifest as anxiety attacks, but I've had a few. Generalized anxiety is more like… I run at a "higher rate" of fear than most, but all the time. Social anxiety is mostly what fuels that, so things like presentations, driving, and such really set me off. Work was very difficult for a long time, too. And, highschool was pretty much directed torture.
Pole, for me, is certainly something that helps me get out of my head, and back into my body. Anxiety can make you forget how important your physical self really is- and taking care of that physical self can really help in lessening that anxiety.
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