Anxiety during practice (sparring)

[Girlfighter]

Dear Fellow Boxers

I have a huge problem and really need your help!

I'm 23 years old and have been depressed with anxiety for about 10 maybe 12 years.

Almost a year ago I went to my first boxing practice and fell in love with the sport.

Started sparring 6 months ago. Sometimes when I get too tired sparring and when I stop to catch my breath I get these panic attacks. I have to take HUGE breaths, feel a pain in my chest and start shaking a bit and cry, sometimes I even can't stop crying and I don't even know what I am crying about.

I don't even know why this happens because I know that if I get hurt people will stop and I know I'm not in any danger.

I SO want to overcome this.

If anyone can help me I would be SO grateful!

[nivek535]

as rockin would say.. stick to golfing.

jokes aside, you're probably better off visiting a professional to deal with your anxiety than ask on a forum. that is not a common boxing scenario.

[Facade]

Consult a professional. This is a serious problem and I wouldn't recommend self-treating it.

[Sugarj]

Dear Fellow Boxers

I have a huge problem and really need your help!

I'm 23 years old and have been depressed with anxiety for about 10 maybe 12 years.

Almost a year ago I went to my first boxing practice and fell in love with the sport.

Started sparring 6 months ago. Sometimes when I get too tired sparring and when I stop to catch my breath I get these panic attacks. I have to take HUGE breaths, feel a pain in my chest and start shaking a bit and cry, sometimes I even can't stop crying and I don't even know what I am crying about.

I don't even know why this happens because I know that if I get hurt people will stop and I know I'm not in any danger.

I SO want to overcome this.

If anyone can help me I would be SO grateful!

There is no hard rule that you have to spar. You can be a fan of the sport and still enjoy the training. I'm guessing that roadwork, heavy bag work, shadowboxing, rope skipping, speedball etc don't bring on any 'anxiety' symptoms or an emotional response?

If, as you say you have been suffering from anxiety for all your high school years up to now, then I'm guessing that you have had some form of assessment by a doctor or therapist.....possibly on-going?

Your symptoms sound quite severe at present; perhaps avoid sparring.....and if possible any other circumstance that brings on the worst feelings until you are a little more desensitised. A decent therapist should be able to diagnose what is provoking your emotional response. I don't think boxing/sparring is really the issue here; it is just what is driving the symptoms at present. I'd leave the rest to a qualified professional.

[-Johannes-]

Normally, a beginner always panics but that goes away in time by having a lot of controlled sparring sessions. In your case, you need professional advise because you have some severe panic symptoms.

It would help to have an understanding coach and sparring partner to help you get over anxiety by having daily controlled sparring until you felt more comfortable, but most of the time the coaches don't have time or the personal interest to deal with such a thing and it's kind of understandable.

[Girlfighter]

Thank you all so much!

I am going to overcome this because I love this so much and I want to compete. I aint gonna quit sparring it's one of the most fun things I do!

So yes, I've been seeing therapists on and off past years among other things and am seeing one now. Going to talk about this in my next session and try to work it out with my coach what I can do.

Thanks again

[beez721]

Dear Fellow Boxers

I have a huge problem and really need your help!

I'm 23 years old and have been depressed with anxiety for about 10 maybe 12 years.

Almost a year ago I went to my first boxing practice and fell in love with the sport.

Started sparring 6 months ago. Sometimes when I get too tired sparring and when I stop to catch my breath I get these panic attacks. I have to take HUGE breaths, feel a pain in my chest and start shaking a bit and cry, sometimes I even can't stop crying and I don't even know what I am crying about.

I don't even know why this happens because I know that if I get hurt people will stop and I know I'm not in any danger.

I SO want to overcome this.

If anyone can help me I would be SO grateful!

Ive battled depression/anxiety issues for years so I can relate. you should talk to a good sports psychologist to get the mental aspect under control before you get too serious with the sport. wouldnt be any shame in that as many good professionals have done the same. good luck and dont let it stop you from your dreams

[E. O. Wilson]

Before you pursue traditional therapists, go see an endocrinologist (if you haven't already).

The fact that your symptoms seem to correspond with physical stress and you don't know what you're upset about could suggest the involvement of a faulty adrenal gland or thyroid gland (which both interact with each other) rather than primary (aka purely psychological) anxiety.

Both tests can come back as false negatives (look OK when they aren't) so demand the "real" tests which require a few full thyroid antibody panels (spaced a few months apart) and for adrenaline, the doctor to administer an adrenal stimulant and see how your body reacts (the non-stimulated adrenal test is basically worthless and only shows extremely rare, life-threatening chronic imbalances).

It could be many things but those are the first potential causes I would eliminate.

I've researched anxiety and depression at length and you would be amazed how many people have underlying endocrinological conditions (should be treated with hormone regulation/replacement). Instead we just put them on antidepressants/benzodiazepines/counseling because the doctor isn't versed in treating it as a secondary symptom.

[U_TALKING_2_ME?]

This is all great advice BUT of course you know head trama can cause depression in a person who before the trama did suffer from depression.

Plus a number of other brain disorders fighters suffer from are a direct result of the repeated head trama occured from the blows to the head.

So in short I am no doctor but I would recomend stopping sparring altogether if you are suffering from a pre existing condition of depression.

But whatever you decide may your god bless you, and may all of your dreams come true.

Good luck

[Facade]

That may be so, but every situation/condition is different.