martial arts and mental health

[drummingman]

i have very sever obsessive compulsive disorder.im wondering if taking martial arts would have any benefit on my mental and emotional helth for the better?
do any of you have any kind of mental health issues that taking martial arts has done anything good for it in any way? if so what are the issues that you have and how has martial arts helped?

 

[Bubba Buck]

I had ADD as a kid and it seemed to help me by just making me more relaxed. It has also helped with self esteem issues and a bad temper that was passed down from my father.

 

[SFC JeffJ]

I occasionally suffer from PTSD. When training I don't. A couple of times when I've had to stop training, it comes back. Don't know why, but it works better than any medication or therapy ever has.

Jeff

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

While I cannot speak for any disorder the intense physical, mental and spiritual workout plus the comraderie has always had an incredibly positive effect for me. I could go into class tired or slightly depressed (which rarely happens) and I will come out of class energized and full of life.

 

[The Kidd]

Since OCD is an Anxiety Disorder it could help, the usual treatment is medication and a desensitation of the obsession. Since it in many cases is an attempt to gain control in ones life when they feel they have none, you first need to know your obsession, how you compulsively deal with it and will this help or hurt the situation (ie. if your obsession is germs and your compulsion is washing your hands then a dojo with many people sweating may increase your anxiety not help it) but it can help your discipline to help overcome some obsessions, and decrease certain stressors which medication is used for. Talk it over with your Doctor/Therapist and make a plan so it will definetly help not increase your anxiety.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

With the right instructor in the right dojo yes it can help.

 

[Bigshadow]

While I cannot speak for any disorder the intense physical, mental and spiritual workout plus the comraderie has always had an incredibly positive effect for me. I could go into class tired or slightly depressed (which rarely happens) and I will come out of class energized and full of life.

In addition to what Brian has said, it has also been very good for me mentally. Something about it just keeps me mentally centered and balanced in the chaos of life.

 

[IcemanSK]

I would say that taking an art in conjunction with psychiatric care would be quite beneficial. The discipline of the arts compliment medication & therapy. In times of depression in my life, the 3 have worked well together.

 

[bushidomartialarts]

has anybody else noticed that there appear to be a lot of whack jobs in karate (and lord knows i'm one of them).

i think there's something about the training that attracts people with mental challenges. further, it seems pretty clear that quality training can help us develop skills to cope.

a lot of lifers are pretty whacked, i've noticed. it's one of the things i like about the arts.

 

[funnytiger]

I think it really depends on the mental disorder. I have bipolar disorder which is caused by a chemical imbalance. Taking an MA has not made it better, but having the support of my kung fu brothers and sisters helps me through it.

 

[zDom]

While I cannot speak for any disorder the intense physical, mental and spiritual workout plus the comraderie has always had an incredibly positive effect for me. I could go into class tired or slightly depressed (which rarely happens) and I will come out of class energized and full of life.

That's pretty much how I feel.

Put another way, martial arts have been good good medicine for my mind, body and spirit.

YMMV, as some ills need more than one medicine.

 

[theletch1]

I occasionally suffer from PTSD. When training I don't. A couple of times when I've had to stop training, it comes back. Don't know why, but it works better than any medication or therapy ever has.

Jeff

Same here. One of the students at my dojo is a councilor at the local Vet center and we've discussed this a few times. Having the ability to have a safe haven like the dojo where you gain such an intense trust of the individuals that you're training with (at least on the mat) allows you to relax from the hyper-alert state that you find yourself in. When I get super stressed out I have a recurring nightmare that, thankfully, has become less and less frequent over time. My training has really helped me feel when I'm starting to get toward the edge of my limit on stress and deal with it where as before I began training I'd keep everything pent up and let it build to a point that I'd nearly lose it completely.

 

[JBrainard]

i have very sever obsessive compulsive disorder.im wondering if taking martial arts would have any benefit on my mental and emotional helth for the better?
do any of you have any kind of mental health issues that taking martial arts has done anything good for it in any way? if so what are the issues that you have and how has martial arts helped?

Depending on whom you talk to, I either have:
1. Sever generalized anxiety disorder and sever cyclic depression (for those who don't know, it's like bi-polar but you don't get manic).
2. Post traumatic stress disorder.

I have post traumatic stress disorder for the same reason 20-25% of us have it, so I don't think that I need to get into that. Anyway, martial arts have always given me a sense of empowerment, which is good given my huge fear of confrontation.
More recently the martial arts have provided me with something that is without end, something that provides endless discovery. In short, something to live for.

 

[Brother John]

i have very sever obsessive compulsive disorder.im wondering if taking martial arts would have any benefit on my mental and emotional helth for the better?
do any of you have any kind of mental health issues that taking martial arts has done anything good for it in any way? if so what are the issues that you have and how has martial arts helped?

Someone close to me deals with OCD, if I may ask...since you brought it up, how does yours manifest??

thanks
Your Brother
John

 

[bushidomartialarts]

has anybody else noticed that there appear to be a lot of whack jobs in karate (and lord knows i'm one of them).

i think there's something about the training that attracts people with mental challenges. further, it seems pretty clear that quality training can help us develop skills to cope.

a lot of lifers are pretty whacked, i've noticed. it's one of the things i like about the arts.

from the anonymous negative rep i got, it seems this post hurt some peoples' feelings.

please know that, although i 'spoke' flippantly, i didn't intend to make light of a serious topic. i've just found that a lot of people with various neuroses seem to end up training long term. anybody who doesn't think i've been in daily therapy for the last twelve years has an incomplete understanding of martial training.

no harm intended.

 

[still learning]

Hello, The best person's to talk too will be your Doctors. Obessive Compulsive Disorder: it said only things that will help you is Behavioral therapy,Congnitive therapy and medications or a combinations of all three.

Those three steps will need to be address first. Because you can get worst in martial arts training. There will be requirements to meet.

Excercise is always good for keeping the body heathy. Your martial art training will provide some of them.

Belonging to a group and making friends is always a blessing.

Hope you are getting and seeking Medical help first before getting into something that may only complicate your healing.

Try looking into Chinese medicine/Acupunture first?

Again your sitution may require medical help first. There are people who have some problems in there life and the Martial arts have given them new directions and a born again type of person. Best of luck to you and ........Aloha

PS: If you Doctor says OK....try JUDO!

 

[CuongNhuka]

There is a lady who trains with us who has epleptic seizures. Her doctor says the exercise will help, assuming she doesn't push herself to hard. We have anouther student who is slow in the head. He's not really retarded, just a little slow. If you know what I mean. He's a good kid, and a great student.
Our sensei has a son and daughter who are austitic. For a little while they both trained with us. His son decided he didn't like trianing. Since he has issues with touching, our sensei decided it was o.k, and enrolled him in something else. Track I believe. I cann't remember why his daughter stopped training though.
All in all, training can be a good thing for those with some form of mental disorder. But check with your doctor and see what he says. And check with your sensei. Make sure they both think it's a good idea. If your sensei honestly has no idea how to make sure you don't go into a nervous panic, get him some info, or something. Atleast make sure he knows. Good luck man.

 

[still learning]

Hello, OH one more thing....if you do have medical problems, or problems of some kind (mental or physcial)? ALWAYS let your Sensi/Instructors know about them and what you have been doing to make it better.

Be honest here.....because if you do have an attack of something...they(Sensi/Instructors will be more prepare to help you).

When we are approach about this...we also ask if they want to share with the class (the illments) to prepare classmates. This will help other students understand what is going on.

I came down with BELL's palsy...in the third week now and recovering slowly, it may take up to 4 months to fully recover. (I hope). It is a virsus that shut down all the muscles on one side of the face.

able to eat only one side of the mouth...hard to drink liquids,NO CURE too!


Always be honest.....people will understand things more.....Aloha

 

[Xue Sheng]

BELL's palsy...

...NO CURE too!

May be treatable with TCM. If I remember correctly I think my wife said it was treated with TCM rather successfully in China, but I am not sure I remember correctly, let me ask her and I will get back to you.

 

[chris_มวยไทย]

hi, i suffer from OAD (over anxiety disorder) and i had to have therapy (sp?) for 2 years, it was during this time that i started martial arts, and i believe that (with some other kind of help aswell) martial arts will help to a certain degree, i dont know if it will help OCD, but from how my life has gone i can say that it helped for me