BODYBUILDING + MENTAL HEALTH
By Steph Guay
I was approached by a member of the CPA and asked if I would like to write an article about mental health and body building and of course I jumped at the opportunity . My name is Steph Guay and I compete in the CPA .
I was approached because I am very open about my mental health issues and I body build and compete in local shows . I love how body building has become a huge part of keeping my mental health in check . I have Borderline Personality Disorder also known as BPD . Don ’ t worry it ’ s not as bad as it sounds . It ’ s when someone ’ s brain can ’ t control the flow of emotions into words and actions . IN other words , when a BPD human is happy they are on level 10 and just hyper and happy , but also when they are sad they can do very harmful things to themselves .
So , what does all this mental health issue have to do with body building ? Without exercise my recovery with mental health will not be as successful . In fact , I would say body building has been the best thing for it . How ? Accountability , structure , and routine . I know if you lift , yes you have heard all this before . But what I am also very much into is therapy . You say “ I cannot afford therapy ”, well neither can I . I pushed my doctor to refer me and I got in . It took a lot of time , bit I started working with a doctor . 2019 was when body building and therapy really started to change my life .
I was into body building before I met my doctor . He told me that I was very lucky to have body building , right from the starting gate . Turns out exercise is almost half the battle fighting most mental health disorders . My doctor also took me off anti-depressants and put me on anti-psychotics . It ’ s to try and calm down the emotion flow and the mood swings . But that ’ s not all , you also have to do your step work ! This is where accountability comes in . Your doctor will want to see it in 4 to 6 weeks . Body building structure helps with this . It helps regulate and track moods . Weight lifting and exercise help affect your mood as well . Actually , if you are feeling down or sad or depressed put some baggy clothes on , get your head phones and sneaker and go lift .
Get out of your head . Got Lift . Two things will either happen : first one is you might leave feeling that you have accomplished something , second , you ’ ll be too tired to care how you feel and just go and eat and rest . You also might see gym friends to lift your spirits . I hear people say “ but I feel fat , I have anxiety , people will judge me , I ’ m not strong though ”. My best advice for these feelings , because I have felt those feelings before
is go put on your gym gear . Take a minute and realize that everyone in there is just like you . So if that doesn ’ t help also tell yourself “ this is for my mental health ”.
Plan to go to the gym when it ’ s right for you , find a time to go when it ’ s not busy . Sometimes I feel there is a bad stereotype of body builders and the sport . I can tell you what body building isn ’ t , but I ’ s rather explain what it really is to people who use it for their mental health . It ’ s mini goals , it ’ s structure , it helps control your emotions , it ’ s art , it ’ s a hobby , it ’ s friendship .
Now don ’ t get me started on prep and how that can make you feel . Did I mention that it only takes 45 minutes to 2 hours a workout ?! And you don ’ t even have to do it every day . I mean the more you do it the better the recovery .
Social Media and body building can really mess up your headspace because with that body building is much more than followers , sponsorship and trophies . I enjoy social media but don ’ t get caught up in it . I certainly have before though . Yes , there is a look to body building but that ’ s only a small part of it . Using it to fight mental health issues , the look is almost a bonus in the end . And with that said in the end , there is no end , and there is no age limit . It ’ s a loop of constant growth and recovery for me and it ’ s wonderful .
Body building is not always exciting and sometimes it takes a while to learn and the process can be slow but it ’ s worth the time . Regular exercise , therapy , proper medication , it ’ s a multi-faceted issue . You are not going to solve mental issues with just a pill or just gym or just therapy , you need all three .
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