"The form my disability manifested in was more than just the usual ADHD symptoms, and was a root cause of severe depression, anxiety, and an intense feeling of 'there's something wrong with me' for most of my adult life. Before I had a name for it and knew how to manage it, I was self-medicating and supplementing my self-worth with the bicycle, which, honestly, saved my life."
"The human mind is often seen as a fragile system that needs ideal conditions to remain stable, but it's been my experience that the mind craves adversity as much as it needs tranquility. It always comes back to the importance of balance, and cycling has always been that balance for me."
The author received an ADHD diagnosis later in life, discovering it was the root cause of severe depression, anxiety, and persistent feelings of inadequacy throughout adulthood. Before diagnosis and management strategies, cycling served as self-medication and a critical coping mechanism that potentially saved their life. The author emphasizes that mental health requires balance between adversity and tranquility, with cycling providing that equilibrium. The piece stresses the importance of open dialogue about mental health and encourages those struggling to seek help through available resources like SAMHSA's National Helpline.
Read at BikeMag
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