Poling for depression/anxiety?

starryeyed started this discussion · 9/13/2010

Hi Everyone, I'm brand spankin' new to the world of pole dance but wanted to try it out in hopes of alleviating my severe anxiety and depression. I get terrible panic attacks and the depression is sooooo incredibly bad that I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy! I used to be on medication but the side-effects were not sitting well with me and so now I've decided to take a more holistic approach (i.e. diet & exercise). Anyway, I've always noticed that I'm at my happiest when dancing--something about it just feels right (even if I'm not very good 😜 ). So my question is, do any of you find that pole fitness helps with your depression/anxiety? And what other things besides pole do you find helpful? I also wanted to mention that after days of browsing through this forum I was so impressed with the amount of respect, support, and admiration you all show each other--each and every one of you is so inspiring! This sport/art form has me completely enamored and I'm so excited to become a part of this community 😀 Thanks for taking the time to read this!

17 replies

sosagely · 9/13/2010
The short answer is YES! Poleing will definately help with your depression and anxiety. First, exercise alone will help, but pole is fun and very addictive, so it gives you something to focus on, aspire for, etc. I think I was somewhat depressed when I first started poleing, and I can sometimes get strange social anxiety. Pole has helped me a lot with both. Also, I love StudioVeena. You are absolutely right about the great sister/brotherhood that we have all formed with eachother, it's great to have this huge support system behind you! Do you have a pole at home that you can dance on whenever you are feeling down? I find that I dance my feeling out a lot, whether they are happy, angry, sad, blah, etc. Music is so therapeutic and moving to it while gaining strength is the perfect mix!!! Welcome!
minicoopergrl · 9/13/2010
Yes it will!!! Exercise produces those endorphins that make you feel good. Another good person to bring up as an example is Jessalynn Medairy. She will tell you she used to have serious anxiety and wouldnt want to leave the house, but with pole she came out of it. Shes a USPDF Pro too! I know when I have crappy days, just dancing makes it feel better. It gets my mind off whatever is bugging me!
litlbit · 9/13/2010
DEFINITELY YEEEESSSS!!!! I suffered with depression and severe panic attacks for many years. I was on medication and it didn't seem to help much. When I started to exercise the panic attacks became less severe but I still battled with depression. I added pole to my fitness for the cardio...BUT! also found my depression leaving me!! I stopped taking medication almost 4 years ago now...I have not had a panic attack in 2 1/2 yrs, and my down times are very short lived and I can cope...they don't isolate me and keep me in bed and crying!!! SO, YESSSSSS poling has HELPED ME IMMENSELY!!! As a nurse I know how important movement is to allow our bodies to use their own chemicals to help us. We were born with the ability to help our bodies help ourselves.
Svarri · 9/13/2010
In short - yes! I was off training for a couple of months and got stuck into a depression rut. I started training again about 3 weeks ago and it's been helping no end. (I've been dealing with depression on and off for about 5 years). For me, dancing, moving and stretching help me feel 'alive' in my body. I need that to stave of the depression.
teresawitch · 9/13/2010
I WROTE AN ARTICLE FOR POLE TO POLE MAGAZINE. AS A QUALIFIED COUNSELLOR I STATED THAT I THOUGHT POLE DANCING SHOULD BE ON PRESCRIPTION. I TOO HAVE HAD DEPRESSION, STILL HAVE BOUTS AND YES POLE DOES HELP. THE EXCERCISE, THE ACHEIVMENTS AND THE POLE COMMUNITY.
JBStarryEyedGirl · 9/13/2010
Poling definitely helps me with stress and worry! When I dance.. the world falls away. I take out my frustrations, my worries and my problems on the pole! Afterward I feel great though. My body is warmed up, looser, and of course rocking out to loud music always helps =) So glad that you found something to keep your depression at bay, poling is really great because you have to dance for yourself!
Danielle Tillie · 9/13/2010
Pole = therapy. 😀 I like to feel productive and strong. The physical strength of it sort of translates to mental strength for me. Depression is a problem for me as well, and I forget all about how much "everything sucks" when I dance. Though when I'm trying new tricks and I fail a lot, I can get down about that, but when that happens I turn on happy music and just dance without trying to be impressive or fancy. Freestyle is very therapeutic for me. Welcome to the pole love world! 🌈
MommaBear · 9/14/2010
I have to agree with everyone else! I had terrible anxiety myself and I figured incorporating some exercise would be a great approach and it has been. I believe Tara Karina mentions on her youtube channel that she also struggled with anxiety and found relief in poling. One mention of concern though, I found that when I first started I experienced "exercise induced anxiety". Whether that is an actual thing or not, I don't know, but when my heart rate would elevate and I would get a bit dizzy from spins, my body seemed to say - "Hey, this is what happens during a panic attack!" - and I would get some pretty good panic attacks in the beginning. I would say that it only lasted for the first two weeks or so and as my body became used to the elevated heart rate, sweating, being out of breath and dizziness and my mind began to understand that although I was experiencing the same physical symptoms of a panic attack, I actually wasn't having one. I think this has helped overall, because I have lost a bit of that sensitivity and built up a tolerance of sorts. Where in the past, if my heart rate increased that would result in a panic attack. Now, my heart rate can accelerate all it wants and my body seems to be less sensitive and responsive to those physical triggers resulting in the mental and emotional triggers that would normally result in a panic attack. Hopefully this makes sense and isn't just written in a way I only understand it 🤔 Good luck on your journey!
Veena · 9/14/2010
*pokes head out of closet* Not too many know this but....I also suffer from Anxiety and depression 😨 . Its not easy to deal with and poling helps with my depression more than anything. The anxiety is still a constant trial and error, sneaking up when I least expect it. But I'm working on it and over the years it has become much better 👍
litlbit · 9/14/2010
MommaBear...I experienced the same thing when I started...I talked with a Doctor I worked with at the time, he said that was normal starting any activity that involves cardio when your new to it (he equated it to HIIT, High Interval Intensity Training because poling in his opinion is a form of HIIT). He also told me that the dizziness subsides after a bit because it throws off our equilibrium, unlike children who spin all the time...we stop doing thos type of activities as we grow older so it creates a fluid imbalance in the inner ear...anyway it doesn't take long to balance out when we do it on a regular basis. It made perfect sense to me! and yes it did at first resemble the physiological changes I felt when going into a panic attack. I no longer have those feelings and can spin like crazy on spinny mode and not get dizzy or ill feeling! WOOT WOOT LOL
Maria Joao · 9/14/2010
I agree with everyone. It seams that 99.9999% of the people are suffering from a kind of depression/anxiety. I too am too anxious and had some episodes of depression; I even had to take medication 🙁 I find that gymnastics help to get along, cause of the endorphins (I think) but I think it's also the music, the movements and the fact that you have the time to yourself, without thinking of nothing else... I also do yoga, and these last vacations ( 🙁 ) I almost burst out in tears a few occasions: I ran to the grass with my mat and 5/10 min later I would feel more relaxed. Mind you, I'm no expert on yoga! nor on poledancing! but I really do feel that letting yourself flow with the music and the movement will allow your body to realign, to find that equilibrum... Pole dancing and pole tricks also do the same: you'll find yourself tired, bruised but with that inner smile that you really need to feel goooood!!! 😀 Keep it up 🥂
starryeyed · 9/14/2010
Thanks so much for all the encouraging responses--makes me feel like there's hope for me yet ☀️ And I know that sometimes it takes a lot of courage to admit that there's a problem so I really appreciate everyone's honesty. My xpole arrived yesterday, woohoo! I think I win first prize for the world's sweatiest hands...seriously, I might as well give the pole a bath while I'm it 😜 Anyway, I'm wishing you all a wonderful day (and dry hands)!
mizvix · 9/14/2010
Yep!! totally agree with everyone else! it helps me with my stress and my bf would agree that when i miss pole my life, and his 😳 , is much less cheery! i've always had issues with my appearance but as poling keeps me toned it really boosts my self-esteem - bra and knikers in front of mirrors??? put a pole in the room and it's ok!! I also tend to lock myself away a lot - confidence issues - but somehow unless i'm snowed under with work or absolutely dying i manage to drive the 30mins to the studio. I've even been known to go when i'm sick just for the social aspect!!! so yes, pole does indeed = therapy. Good luck!
tiggertail · 9/14/2010
My first blog was about getting sane with the pole. I've been suffering depression and anxiety for most of my life at some point even suicidal. But since i start 6 month ago it didn't came back, i don't say i've become Mary sunshine all the time, we all have up and down but now i feel so much better. I my friends and family notice it too. I feel like i'm a better mom, a better person. I wish you have a lot of those amazing happy, really in peace with yourself moment with your pole. It will change your life for sure.
JenLFG · 9/16/2010
i think it will help a lot!!! i have battled with depression & stress && poling has totally helped me! you have something fun & exciting to focus on & even when things aren't going so great in other parts of your life, your pole life can be awesome!!!
branquinha · 9/16/2010
Pole has helped me to fight depression and anxiety. First, exercising helps producing nice well being chemicals, but at the time I was having serious anxiety spells and was very depressed, it also forced me out of my house to take classes and the classes created an environment which also helped because I was surrounded by friendly women (even if you do not have the classes, there is a community out there and even this forum can be pretty helpful, I believe). I also liked the fact that you feel a sense of achievement once you start being able to do more stuff with the pole, so it can give you both goals and rewards, and that is pretty good for depression as well.
MilienElayne · 9/17/2010
I have social anxiety disorder and comorbid depression. Life was a constant buzzing in my head, crying at least once a day, imagining everyone hated me and was judging me, emotional over eating, heart palpitations, hyperventilation, hot flushes...When I became suicidal I started therapy, had drugs etc etc. and it staved off the worst... but then I found pole dancing. It gave me my life back. I'm now drug free, 15kg lighter, no longer need my therapist, have healthy relationships and live comparitively anxiety and depression free.