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I think there's a segment of people for who depression and anxiety is an inability to quiet their mind. They're unable to go about their day or be present in th
by tppiotrowski 3y ago
I think there's a segment of people for who depression and anxiety is an inability to quiet their mind. They're unable to go about their day or be present in their thoughts because they're ruminating on a thought that's evoking bad emotions.
Exercise is one way to break the thought cycle. Just holding your breath is another. When you're suffocating, your brain tends to shut down unnecessary thinking. I also think this is why people enjoy rock climbing. It's the potential for injury that shuts down rumination for a lot of people I know who fail to find the same focus through meditation.
- jlkuester7 3y agoMy anecdotal personal experience aligns well with this! I am not an adrenaline junky, but I have noticed that one of the reasons I enjoy mountain biking so much is the effect the perceived danger has on my brain. A challenging down-hill run will zero-in my focus to just what is necessary to avoid disaster (I am not great at mtn biking...). My mind is emptied of all else! Very similar feeling to what I experience when meditating!
- lazide 3y agoThe challenge comes when the rumination is the minds attempt to process as legitimately dangerous and confusing situation. It almost never actually works of course. But recognizing it for what it is can help figure out that the circumstances around it are a real problem, and figuring out how to address it. Extreme focus can be dangerous when it prevents us from seeing the semi-truck headed right for us, essentially.
- patmorgan23 3y agoAll things in moderation as they say.