Swimming Saved My Life
By Heide Luong
I’ve gotten so many private messages asking me what caused this recent positive change in my mental health that I’ve lost count. The answer is simple. Exercise. Whether you struggle with a mental illness or not, exercise is something we all need in our lives to stay healthy. Being diagnosed with a goody bag of mental disorders and then seeking treatment, taking medication, and getting support from my family/friends are all things that help me survive. But I don’t want to just survive. I want to live! Bringing back intense exercise into my life has pulled me out of my dark, lonely cave and taken me from simply existing to really living for the first time in my life.
You don’t have to train like a professional athlete, but breaking a sweat on a regular basis will make a huge difference in how you feel both physically and mentally. The fact that so many of us separate our mind and body makes it difficult to see exercise as a way to keep your brain healthy. Change how you view exercising and staying active. Choose to look at it as a way to make your brain healthy and happy instead of viewing it as a way to help you look a certain way/squeeze into those jeans that used to fit when you were in high school.
Forcing myself to change how I approach getting in shape has completely transformed the way I feel about exercise. It’s no longer about vanity, but instead it’s all about sanity. It not only keeps me sane, but it makes me incredibly happy and helps me feel the most alive I have ever felt. And who doesn’t want that? So start moving! Go for a walk around your neighborhood or simply around your room! Jump on your bed like you used to when you were a kid. Just move. It will help more than you can imagine.
I know it’s hard to listen or believe when doctors, therapists, psychiatrists, friends, or anyone tells you that exercise improves your mood, especially when you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or any everyday life battles. But maybe it will speak louder to you if it’s coming from someone who’s gone through some serious mental health struggles. I’ve been stuck in a state of not even being able to leave my bed let alone the house for longer than I’d like to admit. Trust me, getting your body moving will in turn get your mind moving in a more positive direction. If you don’t feel like doing it for yourself, then do it for me! It breaks my heart reading your messages and hearing you giving up on yourselves the same way I gave up on myself not long ago.
So please stay safe, healthy, happy and hopeful. I’ll continue to be here if you need someone to talk/vent to.
Hope this helps and encourages you to put your health and happiness as a top priority.
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