Self Help For Depression & Anxiety
Depression and anxiety continues to be major health issues for older adults. Regular depression can lead to higher risks for heart disease and death from illnesses. It also affects people’s daily lives by making them more socially isolated and affecting cognitive function, especially memory.
Depending on the severity of depression and anxiety you may need to seek medical help. But there’s many things you can do yourself too.
Learning Kung Fu has had a huge impact on my life and I’ve been a long time depression sufferer. Here’s a few of the many benefits of learning a martial art for your mental health:
- Exercise compares favourably to antidepressant medications as a first-line treatment for mild to moderate depression. Kung fu classes are physical, but not too demanding for older adults.
- Learning a new skill increases your mental wellbeing and happiness, gives you focus and helps you escape from negative thinking patterns
- Learning a martial art can boost your self-esteem and give you a greater sense of purpose.
- Joining a community such as a martial arts club gives you a sense of belonging and community.
- The mindfulness which comes from practicing a martial art (particularly Wing Chun) gives you a greater clarity and focus and can be compared to meditation. Stress and anxiety are major triggers of depression, and meditation can alter your reaction to those feelings. In Wing Chun many of the forms (hand patterns) are practiced in a meditative fashion and your full attention is required to properly train them.
– Tim Halloran (Instructor at Leeds Ip Man Wing Chun club)
As a long term depression sufferer myself I have found studying a martial art to be of huge value to my mental well being.
Wing Chun Kung Fu has helped me both physically and mentally during some incredibly challenging times. It gives you something tangible to focus on and classes have always given me a purpose and sense of community.
Here’s a picture of me doubling actor Jack Whitehall on a stunt job for the television show Fresh Meat!
If you would like to try out a class please fill out the form on this page and reply to the automated email. I’ll get back to you and you can arrange to come down for a taster class.
More info on self help and depression.
