can skydiving cure depression

[minmal 0]

hi ppl i have been thinking that this could be a cure for depression

its been 3 weeks since my last jump (not from lack of trying)

and i have been dealing with depression for some time now 3 or 4 years without any medi's

after my first stage aff it just disappeared like boom gone

due to the weather here and and me being only able to jump on weekends i haven't been able to get up there and finish it off.

i have noticed that i am feeling depressed again only maybe alittle more so

So my ? is could skydiving be a drug free solution to depression

any ideas on this are more then welcome

[Squeak 17]

no it cannot cure clinical depression.
it may alleviate some symptoms short term but it is not a cure for anything

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[popsjumper 2]

I'd have to argue that, Squeak. It sure cured me of being a money-miser. I'm spending my ass off.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[popsjumper 2]

For me, it's a cure-all for mental issues....if only for 3 minutes at a time at least. During that one minute of freefall and the 2 minutes under canopy I'm not thinking of ANY of daily life's little gotchya's.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Squeak 17]

Quote

For me, it's a cure-all for mental issues....if .

Clinical depression is NOT a mental issue

however being a sad unhappy fucker is.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[popsjumper 2]

You're soooo literal.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Squeak 17]

Quote

You're soooo literal.

about serious questions yes, i am

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[RhondaLea 4]

IMO, yes, for those whose depression is caused by issues with norepinephrine and dopamine rather than serotonin.

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[elias123 0]

I've been struggling with severe depression for almost as long as I can remember (with some up moments here and there). When I go jump, I feel good and happy for at least a week. If I don't jump in say 4 weeks my mood will graduatly go down and I'll become more depressed by every passing week. IMO skydiving is the best anti-depressant for me. I don't think it can cure depression, but I think it is definatly a temporary 'solution'.

Eli

"In a mad world, only the mad are sane"

[cocheese 0]

Speed can cause depression. Once you go there, all else is less exciting. Then you want more to fullfill your need for speed.

Like a fine woman. The better she gets, the more you want her. The more you want her, the more she wants someone else.

[bluepill 0]

No it can NOT cure depression. In the short term it may mask the effects. But how do you deal with it if you can not jump?

Or worse still what happens if you feel you need to jump more and more often to temporarily hide the effects of depression?

Or even more worse what if you start to take more risks to get an ever increasing buzz?

I did not think jumping whilst suffering from depression was allowed anyway.

My advice would be to seek professional help with your depression and use Skydiving as a goal for when you are cured of it.

BP

[cocheese 0]

He could always become a BASE jumper if things get really bad.

[jimstermer 0]

Looks like depressed skydivers of the world unite, looks like its my turn. I've been medicated since I was 19 and my odds of getting depression weren't helped out with the face that my dad and grandpa both suffer from it.

The whole jumping while depressed thing probably goes back to the belief that people with depression are also suicidal, which is far from true. I'm still trying to get that point across to my mom who flips out every time I have one of my shitty episodes.

[AggieDave 6]

Having dealt with depression as a result from PTSD a number of years ago I will tell you that skydiving will make you feel better for a very short period of time. However, when you come off that skydiving high you'll crash even harder then you were before.

Basically go seek professional help. That doesn't specifically mean medication, it could also simply mean counseling with some life changes.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[virgin-burner 1]

well, i'm feeling much better now that i skydive, than when i was with counseling, medication and fuck knows what else..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[ryoder 1,590]

A report came out of Duke University a week ago that exercise is as effective as drugs in treating depression. This link talks about it:

http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2007/11/01/special/seniors/news07.txt

I doubt that skydiving counts as exercise.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[virgin-burner 1]

its a SPORT, isnt'it!?

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[ryoder 1,590]

Quote

its a SPORT, isnt'it!?

So is curling (allegedly). Now show me how much aerobic conditioning either one provides.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[ladydyver 0]

Quote

Speed can cause depression. Once you go there, all else is less exciting. Then you want more to fullfill your need for speed.

Like a fine woman. The better she gets, the more you want her. The more you want her, the more she wants someone else.

Geez cocheese...now you are making me depressed

DPH # 2
"I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~
I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc!

[ladydyver 0]

Quote

A report came out of Duke University a week ago that exercise is as effective as drugs in treating depression. This link talks about it:

http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2007/11/01/special/seniors/news07.txt

I doubt that skydiving counts as exercise.

I know that I actually cope better if I am working out than when I am not. Thanks for the link

DPH # 2
"I am not sure what you are suppose to do with that, but I don't think it is suppose to flop around like that." ~Skootz~
I have a strong regard for the rules.......doc!

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

i have noticed that i am feeling depressed again only maybe alittle more so

Then it didn't cure it, did it? My own experience was that skydiving was the one activity that actually kept my mind off of those things that were bothering me. Nothing else mattered when holding on to the outside of an aircraft at 13k feet, for some reason.

For me it wasn't a cure - it was a coping mechanism.

My wife was my cure. My last jump was two weeks before our first date. All of the little things added up to happiness.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[virgin-burner 1]

Quote

Quote

its a SPORT, isnt'it!?

So is curling (allegedly). Now show me how much aerobic conditioning either one provides.

well, there's some acrobatic conditioning provided with skydiving at least.. or, was it aerobatic

well, thinking about packing: you get to sweat there in summertime!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[virgin-burner 1]

it made me a more relaxed human being. somehow it did change my attitude. at least for a bit.

what if your lovely wife divorces you!? i'm sure you keep on feeling just as great as you are now. the sky will always be there. your wife may not. so whats the more temporary solution?

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[mccallj 0]

It cannot cure true clinical depression. It can help but it can help situational depression.
I found myself becoming more relaxed and even cautious in general as I started skydiving.

“Last week I helped my friend stay put. It's a lot easier than helping someone move. I just went over to his house and made sure that he did not start to load his shit into a truck.”

[pirana 0]

Quote

No it can NOT cure depression. In the short term it may mask the effects. But how do you deal with it if you can not jump?

Or worse still what happens if you feel you need to jump more and more often to temporarily hide the effects of depression?

Or even more worse what if you start to take more risks to get an ever increasing buzz?

I did not think jumping whilst suffering from depression was allowed anyway.

My advice would be to seek professional help with your depression and use Skydiving as a goal for when you are cured of it.

BP

I think treating depression with skydiving is just treating a nuerosis with an addiction; but I'm sure it works short-term. I can hear the counselor's questions now:

Do you feel you need to skydive to have fun?
Do you skydive alone if there is noone else to skydive with?
Do you find yourself spending all of your spare time with other skydivers?
Does skydiving effect all of your non-skydiving activities at work, home, school, etc.?
If you knew you could never have another skydive, how would that make you feel?

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley