Slater Koekkoek details 'unbearable' anxiety he suffered throughout NHL career

[GioforPM]

It also can't be easy playing D for Edmonton. ENG aside, I'm serious. It's a microscope up there and they chew up D like Calgary does goalies.

[TrentCrimmIndependent]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

And “Be kind to one another because you never know what someone might be going through. And stop commenting on people’s weight…it’s friggen weird." reminds me of the all-star conversation where people saw photos of the players on vacation and started judging their bodies and making negative comments about their fitness.

Fandom (not just sports) has gotten a bit sick, in the sense of how little these people are viewed as people and how often others feel they have some ownership over them just for being a fan.

Even some comments about Sutter lately have gone well beyond criticisms of him as a coach. People need a reminder that they don’t know these people, they aren’t their friends or coworkers or bosses. They are people, and just because you pay to watch them do their job doesn’t mean they owe you anything.

Yeah that conversation about the ASB was meant be more of a constructive conversation about fitness, as some of us here are into that and its not weird when you're into that to be discussing bodies. And I don't think it got too weird as people kept it civil which was a rare feat for CP.

But I get if there are some people who are more sensitive or uncomfortable with such discussions.

It's a tricky subject and one that needs to be had around the appropriate crowd.

Having gone through bouts of body dismorphia as a young adult (which led me personally to fitness) I can also empathize with where Koekkoek is coming from when he says that.

But yeah I guess we can also be "harsher" on athletes that play for our team, but I think that's because we don't expect any of them to read what we write on here. Maybe that's practicing poor etiquette, but that's also forums to a degree.

[troutman]

Scientists Have Developed a Blood Test For Anxiety

https://www.sciencealert.com/scienti...st-for-anxiety

[Kipper_3434]

Anxiety is a symptom of modern life. I said what I said.

[Mr.Coffee]

I would take out the word “modern” there if you mean what I think you mean.

I don’t think our ancestry has ever been “not anxious” and it’s just a function of “modern life” (whatever that means and whatever arbitrary starting point you apply).

But still, there’s a clear bounds for anxiety that most people endure and then there is obviously anxiety that can reach heightened levels, which is what this is about.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by Kipper_3434

Anxiety is a symptom of modern life. I said what I said.

I would think it's genetic -- hardwired DNA in our ancestry.

Like, being anxious about getting eaten by an animal...

[Yeah_Baby]

Yeah, anxiety is an evolutionary imperative. It at times kept our ancestors alive.

But folks with an anxiety disorder, like me, experience it very differently than the 'normal' brain.

[dustygoon]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Yeah, anxiety is an evolutionary imperative. It at times kept our ancestors alive.

But folks with an anxiety disorder, like me, experience it very differently than the 'normal' brain.

Sorry bud. I hate to hear that.

What non-chemical approaches work for you? I don’t have near your level but I do find exercise, just hanging with my dog, and mindfulness help me. But curious how folks cope.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

Sorry bud. I hate to hear that.

What non-chemical approaches work for you? I don’t have near your level but I do find exercise, just hanging with my dog, and mindfulness help me. But curious how folks cope.

Exercise does help, but I'm still struggling to get back in that routine after lockdown. The mindfulness piece is huge. And sometimes it's just letting myself feel instead of fighting the feelings you know? Also working on setting healthier boundaries and trying not to rely on others for ALL my validation. Oh, and I'm on twitter way less.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

I was just going to bring up the Kylington situation, and how completely un-empathetic the "suck it up and play, you make millions, stop whining" crowd is.

Did Kylington suddenly get anxiety problems between Aug and Sept just after signing a $5m contract?

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Exercise does help, but I'm still struggling to get back in that routine after lockdown. The mindfulness piece is huge. And sometimes it's just letting myself feel instead of fighting the feelings you know? .

Not sure where I caught the term from, but I started reframing my “panic attacks” as “adrenaline floods” and it helps some.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Did Kylington suddenly get anxiety problems between Aug and Sept just after signing a $5m contract?

Well, we don’t know what Kylington is dealing with, but it’s not uncommon for mental issues to increase in severity or for the symptoms to change for the worse or become unmanageable fairly suddenly.

[Reggie Dunlop]

A lot of the old-school enforcers had psychological issues, which was exacerbated with drugs/alcohol/destructive behaviour. A long list of tragic outcomes as a consequence, sadly.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Did Kylington suddenly get anxiety problems between Aug and Sept just after signing a $5m contract?

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

Not sure where I caught the term from, but I started reframing my “panic attacks” as “adrenaline floods” and it helps some.

reframing can be so powerful, it sounds so simple, but it's a great way to try and create distance from the feeling and reduce the potential to spiral. During my worst spiral like 8 years ago I ended up banging my head on a wall and ripping my hoodie into a vneck. Not super proud of it, but I am proud of the work I've done and how far I've come.

(I've also never told anyone that 'aloud' so now I'm reflecting on how I've confronted my internalized shame)

[Jiri Hrdina]

The eating thing struck home for me.
When my anxiety and insomnia was at its worst several years ago, I also couldn't eat. I starting dropping pounds to the point that people noticed and congratulated me on how "good I looked" and what not.

In the meantime I was crumbling as a human being rapidly.
And the fact that people noticed my weight lost sent me further into that spiral.

The more people talk openly and vulnerably about this stuff the better.

[Vansmack]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The eating thing struck home for me.
When my anxiety and insomnia was at its worst several years ago, I also couldn't eat. I starting dropping pounds to the point that people noticed and congratulated me on how "good I looked" and what not.

In the meantime I was crumbling as a human being rapidly.
And the fact that people noticed my weight lost sent me further into that spiral.

The more people talk openly and vulnerably about this stuff the better.

This basically described my situation exactly. I started a low dose of Cipralex and it has done wonders for me

[FlatLandFlamesFan]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

The more people talk openly and vulnerably about this stuff the better.

I opened up about 3 years ago when I finally came to terms with having anxiety issues and depression.
half the battle was to get there (realize what my behavior was and some of my coping mechanisms ) the second half for me was saying it "out loud"

Even if was out loud to all my Facebook , family ,friends ,co-workers ,acquaintances it was life changing.
The outpouring of support still brings a tear to my eye.
I even managed to help someone else come to the realization of their issues ,and that was the most amazing part for me, that not only did I help myself but someone else as well.

The struggles for me are daily but I am in a much better place today than I was then. Hearing some of your stories helps

You are never alone

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

Well, we don’t know what Kylington is dealing with, but it’s not uncommon for mental issues to increase in severity or for the symptoms to change for the worse or become unmanageable fairly suddenly.

Or the massive expectations that come with a contract like that

[mivdo]

Breathing exercises helps me during an attack. Also i will search threads on reddit on getting over attacks.

Its not so much the yips that help me but the fact knowing so many other people go through it and survive, it helps to minimalize the attack in my head.