New Mountain and General Skiing Anxiety

[surfsnowgirl]

@surfsnowgirl and @Serafina, I could meet you guys down there if you like, too, so keep that in mind. But only on a Friday; not a Sunday. I don't like skiing in crowds.

OMG that would be awesome, I would love that. I am on the schedule to teach just about every sunday so a friday would work best anyway. I will look at my calendar and throw a couple friday's out there

 

[just jane]

I do want to chime in on the difference between "normal" anxiety and the kind that can debilitate a person. It's actually quite a bit more common than you might imagine. About 18% of the population has some type of anxiety disorder, and 4% have a severe form (https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/any-anxiety-disorder-among-adults.shtml).

Yes to this! I should have been clearer in my post. I definitely have anxiety issues that warrant treatment, but skiing is not a trigger for me. And they're (hopefully) not chronic for me. With skiing, I just have to address some garden-variety, relatively normal fear.

Without downplaying it, I do think that you can use specific mindfulness and CBT techniques to help address some instances of it though. I very nearly had an anxiety/panic attack on a lift once. I could feel where I was headed, and I was able to talk myself through it and it didn't become full-blown, thank goodness. That would be a truly horrible experience on a ski lift! I felt like if I didn't get myself under control, I could envision getting so agitated I would just throw myself off the lift, if that makes any sense (okay, no, it doesn't). And so I used techniques I had learned, like breathing exercises and yes, some guided self-talk, and was able to calm down enough that I didn't completely lose it.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I know there is serious anxiety out there, a couple of my sisters have been prone to anxiety attacks. Mine is of the lesser kind per say but I am glad to know others have similar issues as me and my heart goes out to everyone who has any kind of anxiety as its not fun. None of us are perfect and its all about dealing with life and our anxiety triggers from day to day. I went through a terrible breakup 8 years ago right before thanksgiving, my stomach was in knots, I couldn't eat and if it weren't for xanax and my dear friends I am not sure how I wold have gotten through it. However, I learned a great deal from that experience and it forever changed me for the better. Life is all about growing and learning.

 

[vanhoskier]

However, I learned a great deal from that experience and it forever changed me for the better. Life is all about growing and learning.

Yes to this! There is a beauty (yes, beauty) to traumatic experiences. They usually point to some areas where we each need to grow. So if we confront them head on and use them as an opportunity for change, we become better people for it....stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. :-)

 

[vanhoskier]

I think this is terrible advice, at least from the perspective of someone who is in treatment for anxiety. ( and coaches mountain biking). Unless you know you respond to "immersion" I would not recommend it.

I used to whitewater kayak and loved it. One summer I went to a whitewater camp on the Ottawa River (which has HUGE waves) where they teach a paddler to improve in big water via "immersion therapy." It didn't work for me. Although I paddled stuff that I could never have imagined, and did it successfully for the most part, I got stuck in a recirculating hole where I was repeatedly immersed by the water...like being stuck in a washing machine. It created new anxieties that I never could overcome, so then paddling on my easier class 2-3 rivers locally became too emotionally exhausting. I lost the ability to roll my boat back over. I haven't been in whitewater since. And BTW, I do take meds for depression and anxiety. This type of "therapy" is indeed a BAD IDEA for someone like me.

 

[geargrrl]

I keep wondering is the immersion idea for a MTB bike racer came from Missy th missile Giove.....

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I don't think immersion therapy would work for me either. I need a gentle introduction to something. Something like that would make me run far away and not want to do it.

 

[ling]

I used to whitewater kayak and loved it. One summer I went to a whitewater camp on the Ottawa River (which has HUGE waves) where they teach a paddler to improve in big water via "immersion therapy." It didn't work for me. Although I paddled stuff that I could never have imagined, and did it successfully for the most part, I got stuck in a recirculating hole where I was repeatedly immersed by the water...like being stuck in a washing machine. It created new anxieties that I never could overcome, so then paddling on my easier class 2-3 rivers locally became too emotionally exhausting. I lost the ability to roll my boat back over. I haven't been in whitewater since. And BTW, I do take meds for depression and anxiety. This type of "therapy" is indeed a BAD IDEA for someone like me.

I'm not sure it's just you though. I know a couple of GUYS who literally quit WW kayaking after ONE bad immersion (in this context, the immersion was literal). Except they weren't doing the immersion on purpose. It were just part of WW progression (they thought), that one day, they got stuck in a bad situation.

The thought that one might die of drowning is a pretty powerful experience, which can easily create anxiety in just about ANYONE whether they have history of anxiety or not.

I also pretty quit WW after a string of bad experience. I was in a trip where the water level was much LOWER than expected. So there were significantly more exposed rocks, yet the river was still flowing quite fast and quite powerful. Several paddlers in the group flipped, got knocked about quite badly. It didn't help that I failed my roll on a trip the previous weekend, and was already low in confidence. So when it's my turn came (flipped), I failed my roll also. I got tossed around and knocked about for what seemed like HALF AN HOUR! (when in reality it was probably a couple minutes). Although I was unhurt (and got my roll back in the pool) I had not been back to WW. This was 2 or maybe 3 years ago.

I had long ago been warned, and had decided I would not go to Class IV. Recirculating hole being one of those potential I decided not to deal with. But as this was happening in a class III, I have yet to come to terms with it.

I suppose in my case, it isn't so much creating a new anxiety. But rather I was just presented a reality that I had not prepared for. I really don't like the consequence which IS the reality! However, missing paddling in foamy water, I'm still torn about returning to it.

I have the same dilemma when it comes to skiing glades. On the one side is the powder. The others, unyielding trees.

 

[alicie]

If I go to a new resort I search everything about the resort, watch YouTube videos etc. Luckily I'm ridiculously good at maps and can pretty much memorise it after looking at it a few times and after skiing it once or looking at the slopes once the piste map imprints on the hill and it's quite easy to get around.

I don't have many anxieties about actual skiing, pretty much only when I get to a certain speed and something in my mind pops up shouting your going too fast, then after a second or two something else pops up saying you're fine just turn or snow plough a wee bit and then it's fine. It's more the restaurants and stuff I have anxiety over. I know exactly what the issue is and there is nothing I can do about it so I just have to try and ignore. If I can analyse the situation then I'm fine, most things my mind has run through it before I time to barely think about it, some things are in between and will eventually get to the successfully analysed bit and then the unsuccessfully analysed bit is pretty much any social situation, I don't get them at all so can't analyse them. It's like having spy glasses on permanently, you know the ones in movies that have like little screens in them that calculate everything and then show you the information.

Immersion is pretty much the only thing that works for me, you just have to go for it, the longer you wait the worse it is sort of idea. It's like well that wasn't as bad as I was expecting and then you want to do it again. Though this obviously doesn't work for everybody.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I got stuck in a recirculating hole where I was repeatedly immersed by the water...like being stuck in a washing machine.

My eyes literally widened as I read this. Omg. I don't think I would survive this with my sanity intact. Claustrophobic and not great with water.

Immersion is pretty much the only thing that works for me, you just have to go for it, the longer you wait the worse it is sort of idea.

I think this works if the gap is small enough, or if there is no way to avoid the issue, so you just have to do it. But if the gap is large enough, it can be a real problem. And if the attempt doesn't work out, you can really set yourself back. Especially if you get injured, so you can't go right back and try again. I'm dealing with this after a mountain biking accident that ended my season.

 

[geargrrl]

If I go to a new resort I search everything about the resort, watch YouTube videos etc. Luckily I'm ridiculously good at maps and can pretty much memorise it after looking at it a few times and after skiing it once or looking at the slopes once the piste map imprints on the hill and it's quite easy to get around.

I don't have many anxieties about actual skiing, pretty much only when I get to a certain speed and something in my mind pops up shouting your going too fast, then after a second or two something else pops up saying you're fine just turn or snow plough a wee bit and then it's fine. It's more the restaurants and stuff I have anxiety over. I know exactly what the issue is and there is nothing I can do about it so I just have to try and ignore. If I can analyse the situation then I'm fine, most things my mind has run through it before I time to barely think about it, some things are in between and will eventually get to the successfully analysed bit and then the unsuccessfully analysed bit is pretty much any social situation, I don't get them at all so can't analyse them. It's like having spy glasses on permanently, you know the ones in movies that have like little screens in them that calculate everything and then show you the information.

Immersion is pretty much the only thing that works for me, you just have to go for it, the longer you wait the worse it is sort of idea. It's like well that wasn't as bad as I was expecting and then you want to do it again. Though this obviously doesn't work for everybody.

This sound like normal garden variety anxiety, not the kind that those of us with anxiety disorders have to deal with. There are check lists online if you are unsure which is which.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My eyes literally widened as I read this. Omg. I don't think I would survive this with my sanity intact. Claustrophobic and not great with water.
/QUOTE]

This is literally my worst fear and why I've never gone white water rafting..........

 

[surfsnowgirl]

[QUOTE I got stuck in a recirculating hole where I was repeatedly immersed by the water...like being stuck in a washing machine. /QUOTE]

My eyes literally widened as I read this. Omg. I don't think I would survive this with my sanity intact. Claustrophobic and not great with water. /QUOTE]

This is truly my worst fear and why I've never gone white water rafting......................

 

[elemmac]

I think "immersion" for fear is very different than "immersion" for anxiety. I agree with alicie that the longer you wait for fear the worse it gets. But having anxiety is a completely different animal, IMO.

Putting yourself in a situation that you're anxious about can definitely make it worse, even if it's not rational. Whereas putting yourself in a situation that you fear, the fear will generally either be confirmed or go away.

 

[alicie]

I think this works if the gap is small enough, or if there is no way to avoid the issue, so you just have to do it. But if the gap is large enough, it can be a real problem. And if the attempt doesn't work out, you can really set yourself back. Especially if you get injured, so you can't go right back and try again. I'm dealing with this after a mountain biking accident that ended my season.

I think it depends on the situation and person, but for me at least it applies to pretty much everything. the longer you sit thinking about doing something the more difficult it tends to be to actually go and do said thing, pretty much regardless of the situation (injury aside that's a slightly different situation). I think if you do something that doesn't quite work out, you need to then do it again pretty much straight away or it could make it worse, obviously at times doing it again won't happen but for lots of situations it does work, though not for everyone.

 

[ling]

Whereas putting yourself in a situation that you fear, the fear will generally either be confirmed or go away.

But fear often manifest itself as anxiety first.

Riding up on the chair, staring at how big the cornices is creates anxiety. Seeing many others fall on landing and ragdoll down the slope, definitely creates fear! Where does one end the other start?

Watching ski patrol pulling a sled down with someone in it also creates anxiety for many (worse if the surface is icy). Is that just anxiety or is that fear?

 

[geargrrl]

It will depend on the person. It's the difference between general (normal) anxiety and anxiety disorder. Most anxiety is ultimately fear based.

LOL, DH is a patroller, no sled anxiety for me.

 

[alicie]

This sound like normal garden variety anxiety, not the kind that those of us with anxiety disorders have to deal with. There are check lists online if you are unsure which is which.

It may sound normal but I'd be surprised if it is. I google street view any journey over 20 minutes even if I've done it hundreds of times before, I really don't think that's normal. Nor is not being able to take a bus, because what if I miss my stop then how do I get off (that sounds ridiculous) etc etc, I can't even ask for a bus ticket. I'm not really anxious about any type of sport though, it's really weird.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

The fact that you decided to be an instructor, and you jumped in without knowing anybody...that's awesome. That takes some guts. You will find some instructors who will take you under their wing and you will rapidly become a better skier for hanging with them.

I was at Jay a few years ago with SkiDiva.Skisailor, and RachelV, and I remember cruising down from the top, I think, on a nice groomed run. I was the slowest of that bunch of skiers, and I was fine with that.

You will find ladies to ski with, don't worry. I wish I could take the time off to head up there for that gathering; I'd be happy to cruise around with you. But, this year is just too busy for me.

Have fun!

As far as being an instructor, I guess I just get an idea in my head and its hard to peel me away from it. I had many reasons for wanting to do it but one of them was to improve my skiing. I am getting faster all the time but just need to be ok with the fact of I might be skiing in a group of 5 and I might be the caboose. I also need to realize that people don't care and aren't judging me. Awww, thanks. I'd love to cruise around Jay with you, another time I am sure of it.

 

[santacruz skier]

You should be fine skiing with this nice group of divas. Many of them have reached out to you already. And as skidiva said , you're not bragging about your skiing ability. Quite the contrary.. And if it's a powder day, bring out those Elysians (or rent a powder ski) and take a lesson!!