Currently: 2 Weeks Out from USAPL Cbus Lifting Co. Spring Classic
Note: This may read as somewhat of a challenge for some, but it's only because this is the challenge I needed myself a year or two ago, and since taking these "next steps" on (as uncomfortable as it was), my life has been dramatically better for it.
For years, I think a big problem surrounding mental health and people's personal struggles was that they kept them bottled up and felt like there wasn't anyone else going through the same issues. People dealing with mental illness, eating disorders, or other similar difficult struggles felt alone and were afraid to seek help. This is still a large issue, but I think the advent of social media as a form of communication has brought more people's internal feelings to the surface, because it provides a platform to get things out there without having to necessarily say them face to face. I think, like anything, there's positives and negatives to this..
On one hand, there is a lot of benefit to taking struggles that have been bottled up, and getting them off your chest so you don't feel the pressure of keeping them a secret. There's also a lot of benefit to receiving encouragement from others that (1) care about you, and (2) might be going through the same thing, and you would otherwise never had known. These are all positive things that can be extremely encouraging to those of use going through struggles. I also found it to be a great opportunity to see the needs of others and encourage them through their own trials. I saw this happen when I posted about my own struggles, and then subsequently wrote an article series about mental health and strength athletes. The issue lies, in my opinion, when the process stops at step 1...
It can be very easy to feel that a long facebook or blog post venting about the challenges you face (which again, has it's merit) is both the beginning and the end of the process towards healing, but I can assure you it isn't. Now, like I've written about in the past, the path towards better mental health and well-being is different for everyone, and I'll never claim to know the perfect answer for anyone's situation. But I do feel confident that taking the "next step", (whether it be counseling, meeting with an friend/accountability partner on a regular basis, a doctor, etc, etc..) is just as important as the first step. I can't tell you how many people I see on a daily basis post about their struggles, and at the most they mention training as their only therapy (which has it's pros and cons), and it stops there. Now, they may have more things they are working on that they aren't disclosing, but I think it's important to speak to how you're approaching your "next step" (both for your own accountability, and to show others that there is hope and a call to attack the challenge).
If you struggle with mental illness or one of these issues, I encourage you to take the next step and meet with a counselor, schedule a regular meeting with a close friend or mentor, get blood work done with your doctor, analyze your nutrition, reach out to someone, do something (even if it doesn't prove to fix the problem). Taking that next step is crucial, and it doesn't have to be anything huge and daunting. Like most challenges, it's going to be one step at a time, and I think it's important that we show people that mental health is a journey not a one-stop destination.
The other part of this that I think is important, is to not let yourself be fully consumed in the identity of your struggle. For years, I let myself fall through a downward spiral of negative self-talk as all I did was focus on my negatives and what I was going through. Larry Sanders, an NBA player who left the game several years ago because of severe anxiety and depression (and has since returned since the making of this video), gives some great input in the video below on how important it is for us "not to forget the and" in regards to ourselves and others. It's easy to generalize, but remember that we are not defined by our struggles, but how we take them on.
Stay strong, take the next step, and don't forget the and...
For Coaching & Programming Questions, feel free to contact me at joeschillero@gmail.com
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Competitively - My last competition was the UPA Winter Rack Attack on December 17th (competed raw at 220lbs). It was my second meet back transitioning to competing raw, and my goal entering next year is to qualify for a larger raw competition (whether it be at the Arnold or elsewhere).
I'm currently the Fitness Director at Ohio University as well as Event Coordinator for EliteFTS. I'm also involved in coaching and public speaking on topics relating to powerlifting, coaching, education, student development, and mental health.
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