mental health and pain management
Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!
I’m ecstatic to bring you along my everlasting journey managing pain. Most people think about the physical aspect when it comes to pain. However, physical pain that goes unmanaged creates mental anguish that can lead to depression. An invisible pain that rewires your brain. I know from personal experience.
After suffering a myriad of injuries from playing hockey, my body couldn’t perform the way it always had. Sports and physical activity were my favorite outlet, but injuries led to a lack of mobility and eventually pain in multiple areas of my body. Without the ability to move my body, my mind slipped into a dark state for an extended period. I was trapped in my mind. Unable to navigate the darkness.
I felt worthless. I felt like a failure. I didn’t want to hang out with my friends. I struggled in every area of life.
This all went down roughly 18 years ago when mental health wasn’t nearly as prevalent as today. I didn’t know what was going on with myself, let alone know where to search for a resource to help get me out of depression. My experience with physical injuries prevented me from seeking medication, so I had no idea what to do.
In a last gasp effort to defeat my depression, I decided to face my fears head on. I didn’t want to rely on someone else to help me. I had to do this on my own to ensure a lasting victory.
What am I doing for my mental health?
Well, I take care of my body which allows my mind to function properly. Last night, I joined about a dozen other people for an hour-long run up a giant flight of stairs. I only knew one person coming into it, but I was compelled to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. The result was a wave of dopamine rushing through me, generating a feeling of euphoria. I slept like a baby and woke up ready to take on the world.