PADDLER 24
Words : Del Read Photos : Tom Clare , Ant Mitchell and Del Read
PADDLER 24
Dealing with
ANXIETY and kayaking
Anxiety was the theme for this year ’ s World Mental Health Week . When I saw the word anxiety , I knew I wanted to write a blog article about anxiety and kayaking . Kayaking on white water is always going to involve some feeling of nervousness . You are under pressure to execute your skills with the knowledge that if you do not , there is the potential for unpleasant consequences . Being anxious is a very understandable response to paddling on white water .
However , it is also a sport that can lead to high anxiety levels when it is not always understandable . I am talking about the anxiety that seems to come out of the blue yet can completely paralyse you . For me , this is the anxiety that appears in situations that , in theory , you should be completely comfortable in . Local rivers you have run dozens of times before , play spots that you know are safe to practice in , and rapids that you could run backwards with your eyes closed and still be fine . It ’ s the anxiety that no one wants to discuss because it just doesn ’ t make sense . In this article , I am going to talk about it . I will mainly be talking about my own experiences .
Words : Del Read Photos : Tom Clare , Ant Mitchell and Del Read