The Power of Focus: How Martial Arts Can Help Manage Anxiety and Depression
Posted: May 24, 2023
It is no secret that martial arts can have an impact on mindset and improve mental health. Martial arts practices, especially jiu jitsu, teach so many life lessons, including the importance of physical exercise, the benefits of teamwork and importantly, the power of focus. This blog aims to delve into how martial arts shifts the focus to within and how it can in fact help manage anxiety and depression.
Mental Benefits Of Martial Arts
Martial can offer so many benefits to mental health, thus decreasing the impacts of anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression often present themselves in different ways, depending on the person, but it can be described as feeling negative emotions or being in a low mood for an extended amount of time, getting in the way of everyday functions.
When this occurs, there are a number of ways in which you can work towards improving mental health.
Martial arts is a practice that can help you do this!
The practice offers so many benefits and can help manage the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Physical exercise is one of the main benefits that martial arts offers, to help manage anxiety and depression. The boost of ‘feel good hormones’ such as endorphins can improve mental health. Not only does martial arts offer the all important endorphins, but with consistent practice comes increased confidence, further minimising the impacts of anxiety and depression.
Increased self esteem is another way in which martial arts can help manage anxiety and depression. Exercise strengthens the body and the mind, and the more you improve in the sport, the more your self esteem will improve. Martial arts offer further benefits to the body and mind that other forms of exercise may not, however. Martial arts teaches its students to bounce back from setbacks and embrace challenges.
Personal Development. Anxiety and depression are illnesses that affect people personally, and due to this, there isn’t a one size fits all solution. Martial arts offer the power of focus, especially focusing within and on personal development. Challenges faced within martial arts practices are not just those between you and your opponent in the dojo, but also in your own mind. Discovering and overcoming personal challenges improves personal development, and therefore combats the damaging effects of anxiety and depression.
Martial Arts give you purpose. Having a purpose is one of the key ways in which you can manage anxiety and depression. These mental illnesses often make people feel the opposite; a lack of purpose.
Relieving stress and anxiety through martial arts is a clear way that highlights the power of focus. Focusing on the practice, the skill, but most importantly, focusing within can greatly alleviate signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Martial Arts At Ellis Academy Of Self Defence
At Ellis Academy Of Self Defence, we strongly believe in the power of focus and the benefits that martial arts can have in helping to manage anxiety and depression.
For both children and adults, practising martial arts can offer great benefits to both physical and mental health, and we aim to harness the power of focus and the benefits it brings.
We understand that finding a martial arts dojo is something that can cause confusion, stress and anxiety - we want to make the decision easier for you! Whether you aren’t the most athletic or confident person and are a little uncertain about starting martial arts, we aim to serve and empower the community whilst teaching people the skills of jiu jitsu and the power of focus!
If you would like to learn more about our dojo and how our teachings can help manage anxiety and depression through the power of focus, feel free to reach out to a member of our team.
You can contact us by calling 01737761999.