Racing Motorcycles
I’m a 53-year-old male. All my life from a very young age I was different to most kids, very inward and the odd one out, back then I thought it was just me and the way I had been brought up.
This went on until I was about 16 where drinking came a past time because it made me feel good and confident. This stayed with me for many years and had lots of negative effects, failed business, and 2 failed relationships. This pattern continued until October last year, as normal I woke up in the middle of the night feeling anxious and depressed. I reached for my phone and was looking on Facebook.
A video had been posted by someone detailing how they was feeling and struggling with life. I was not able to listen to it but had to watch and read the text on the screen as I did not want to wake my wife. The feeling I got was amazing, this person was describing exactly how I was and had been feeling for so long. I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I was not the only one and was not alone. I re posted the video straight away, and was amazed at how many people contacted me with help and advice, and surprised at how many people I knew and thought they was ok. My life suddenly started to become clear, my negative actions understood.
After seeing the video on Facebook I contacted my doctor, that was a major step for me. I attended and explained to him how I was feeling and showed him the video to give him better detail. After several visits and some over the phone counselling he prescribed me with some medication. I was reluctant at first, but gave it a go. My anxiety gradually disappeared, I became more confident in what I was doing, and life became the best it’s ever been.
Most of my life, I have been involved with racing motorcycles, as I got older my drive changed. I would spend weeks preparing and getting everything arranged, then to turn up at the track and back out, making excuses. In 2018 I have entered several races and been on the podium more than once, all of which I attended on my own. If someone had said to me in 2017 that I would achieve the above I would have said they were mad.
The above is just a snapshot of how things have changed. I now want to help others that are struggling and promote that mental health is not something to be ashamed of or talking about.