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pinscar
Oct 20, 2002, 4:44 AM
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import_temporary
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beyond_gravity
Oct 20, 2002, 4:51 AM
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climbing + depression = death
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lightboi
Oct 20, 2002, 4:55 AM
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It helps....A LOT
On my bad days I am not able to climb anything even close to my limit. Thank the stars that I love to climb so much. Even playing all day on 5.5's makes you feel so much better. The focus of placing gear, setting up belays, is calming to the mind. Climbing is about routines and control. I am able to wrest some control out of my life with the simple phrase "on belay"....."climbing"
Getting outdoors is a pretty good thing
Standing on top of the perverbial "hill" is even better.
josh
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petsfed
Oct 20, 2002, 5:39 AM
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Depends on the situ, but generally, when I'm in a deep blue funk over something, climbing is my panacea. Unless I'm in a funk over my ability as a climber, then I take a week or two off, so that I appreciate it more.
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winkwinklambonini
Oct 20, 2002, 4:12 PM
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I think mild depression can stem from being stuck in a life that seemingly has no purpose. If you love your job or whatever you do, then you have purpose. When you find yourself not ever doing anything that accomplishes anything, then you might wonder what the hell your doing here at all.
When you climb, EVERYTHING HAS PURPOSE. And you strive to eliminate things that don't. It's all right there, you see it, "I must place a piece, or I could die". The same could not be said for selling vacuums door to door or something.
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stevematthys
Oct 20, 2002, 4:18 PM
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climbing always seems to get me out of a bad mood. i guess there is calming effect that the rock has on me, there is something about the simplicity and how pure climbing is that will lift me up. hard to explain.
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camhead
Oct 20, 2002, 4:52 PM
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The only times I ever went solo aiding (nothing big, just up some routes at my local crag in the winter) were when I was having female problems. Excellent diversion, nice for the solitude as well.
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clundin_99
Oct 20, 2002, 5:57 PM
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Climbing helps me out a lot. When I get down, I feel like it really helps me put things in perspective. Most of my depression stems from a departure from God. When I climb, I get back to His perfect creation and it is just like God and I are the only two people in the world and we are just chillin'. I don't know how many of you are Christians, but to me, climbing is a revivalistic religious experience.
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paintinhaler
Oct 20, 2002, 7:25 PM
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Makes me feel way better. Just being in the woods or sitting around a fire with out the city and cell phones and school and you get the idea. I just started taking zoloft which helps more than I ever thoght it would. But yes I do have depression and yes climbing does help me get through everyday.
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socaliforniaclimber
Oct 21, 2002, 1:42 AM
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If Im having a bad week and Im climbing at the end of it, everything is alright. When I am climbing nothing is on my mind except climbing. Earler this week I went climbing at Stoney Point and that night I went to work. I realized what different worlds they are. I felt like a totally different person. Rejuvinated.
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wetrocks
Oct 21, 2002, 2:13 AM
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Climbing motivates me to get through whatever, just because I know that there's climbing to be had once I'm done the crappy thing that's keeping me away from climbing. If I didn't have climbing to look forward to THEN I'd be bummed. It's a definite source of pleasure whether I'm on or off the rock.
Ahh man, now I'm all stoked to go and work those unfinished routes....mmmmmm.
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amsam
Oct 21, 2002, 2:17 AM
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It's the best cure for when I'm feeling depressed. It's calming, and satisfying, and motivating, and just makes me feel good. Climbing road trips are the best, being surrounded by friends, doing something you love, and not having to worry about any of the trivial everyday things I have to worry about at home.
It's when I come back from climbing that I feel depressed, because I'm stuck back in my normal boring routine.
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gblauer
Moderator
Oct 21, 2002, 2:44 AM
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Wow...I feel 1000% better when I climb. NOthing like endorphins circulating through your body to make you feel good. I get the same feeling when I ski.
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lostangel
Oct 21, 2002, 3:02 AM
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When I moved to PA I was going though alot and was in a very deep depression.. something nothing seemed to be helping... climbing got me out and was a major factor in pulling me out of that depression...
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kcrag
Oct 21, 2002, 5:19 AM
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By all means... get out and climb! There's nothing like focusing on what's right in front of your face to help you forget your blues. In fact, anything physical will do the trick. Best of luck getting out of that funk.
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climbingjoy
Oct 21, 2002, 5:30 AM
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It depends on the type of person you are really. It helps me forget about things for the time being but as soon as I am done climbing, reality hits
I get depressed though when i am too busy to climb!
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climbsomething
Oct 21, 2002, 5:55 AM
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I have fought depression for most of my life. Right now, I am winning pretty big, thanks to... well, Paxil ... and climbing. It gave me more than just excercise, it gave me new friends and brought me to the outdoors, gave me confidence and physical strength, all that good stuff. I don't know how I'd have progressed without it. I woulda lived (I always do) but I am sure life would be far less enjoyable.
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bretterick
Oct 21, 2002, 6:22 AM
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The begining of this summer i lost my job, so i couldnt afford school so i had to drop out and go to community college, my girlfriend dumped me, and a lot of other crap happened so i was REALLY depressed, i free soloed a 5 pitch 5.8, i got to the top and stood over the 700 foot cliff and sat there and reflected on my life. It helped me a lot. Now that im not as depressed any more i wouldnt suggest anyone do that cause its just plain stupid!
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hang_man
Oct 21, 2002, 7:06 AM
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it really feels great when u are at the top and can see far far away on the horizon (not really horizon haha)and it clears your mind better
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kriso9tails
Oct 21, 2002, 11:02 AM
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If you're tlalking depression as in 'feeling down' then sure, it helps me.
If you're talking depression as in 'completely void of all emotion, apathetic, feeling guilty over nothing, and you'd kill yourself but it seems like too much work (or similar)' then no, I don't think it would really help.
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eric
Oct 21, 2002, 11:16 AM
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b_g:
kriso9tails: In my case, you are wrong.
I'm hesitant to post here about such a personal matter, but climbing has had such a profound impact on my life in this respect that I wanted to add my voice.
Climbing pulled me out and so far has kept me out. Some of you know what I'm talking about.
I'm still here and if it weren't for climbing I might not be, which is why I'm a little disturbed by some of the comments.
Hmmm. I don't want to say anymore, I find. Might jynx it
[ This Message was edited by: khanom on 2002-10-21 04:18 ]
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thatstoohigh
Oct 21, 2002, 12:23 PM
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climbing for me is the best thing for depression. when im down or in a rut hitting the crag climbing it and then looking down on what you have just done... well there is nothing like it in the world!
j
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lox
Oct 21, 2002, 12:57 PM
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Climbing will never break up with you.
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mother_sheep
Oct 21, 2002, 2:15 PM
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It helps and it hinders. Personally, getting out there on the rock and not flailing on anything leaves me feeling high and is enough to pull me out of any foul mood! But on a day where my head isn't quite in the right place and I'm popping off of the easiest climbs, that can be a bit stressful. Days like that I belay my partners. I think just being out there around the rock, even if I choose not to climb, it's still theraputic.
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youmeanupthere
Oct 21, 2002, 3:10 PM
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As a climber and a mental health professional, one must be careful when using recreational activities to treat depression. There are obvious theuraputic aspects to climbing but it is not treatment. Treatment involves addressing your depression directly through such things as talking, behavior mod., or drugs. In fact, it has been shown that the endorphin rush from climbing is similar to illicit drug abuse where a person confuses its effects with treatment and develops a behavioral addiction or compulsion that actually feeds into the depression by increasing avoidance behaviors. If one suffers from clinical depression then get help. Climb because it is something you enjoy and reap the rewards of doing it, but don't mistake it for something else.
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