Planks for Mental Health Survivors - Plank for 2 minutes get a FREE Vibe T-Shirt
The Holiday Season is not jolly for everyone. Maybe you have lost a loved one, you are estranged from your family, you suffer from mental illness, or life is really hard right now then you might not be excited for this coming Christmas. Don’t forget seasonal depression is real for those of us that live in the Midwest know it plays a huge role in our overall mental health this time of the year. Mental illnesses affect 19% of the adult population, 46% of teenagers, and 13% of children each year. People struggling with their mental health may be in your family, live next door, coach your children, work out at the same time as you, or run the organization you volunteer for.
Out of those statistics, only half of the people who are suffering receive treatment. Untreated, mental illness can contribute to higher medical expenses, poorer performance at school and work, fewer employment opportunities, and increased risk of suicide. The reasons so many of these go untreated is because of the stigma surrounding Mental Illness.
Here at Vibe Fitness, we want to be a community that is advocating within our circle of influence that helps ensure these individuals have the same rights, opportunities, and people who are in their corner fighting for them. Although many fight in silence, we want to be your voice. We chose planks as the foundation of the challenge for a few reasons but mainly because much like the silent suffering of mental illness, so do we silently suffer during planks. Mental health is a marathon of hanging on for just a few more seconds just like planks can feel that way toward the end. Our inner voice can make it hard to not give up on ourselves. We know not everyone suffers from things like anxiety, depression, PTSD, and the like. But, we want everyone to join with us in hanging on as long as they can while planking and remembering that the marathon of mental illness is something certain people never get to take a break from.
If you do experience mental illness of any degree here is something to think about. We’re social beings, and we are not meant to live in isolation. Community is critical for us to thrive, especially for someone with mental illness who is already experiencing the common symptoms of loneliness and isolation.
According to the National Alliance of Mental Health here are three of the most beneficial aspects of having a community:
Belonging
If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit in, you know it can be a lonely experience. Community provides a sense of belonging — a group you identify as being a part of. This is different from conforming to be in a group. A true sense of belonging includes the ability for you to feel you are a part of the community as your true self. There is not anything you have to change to be a part of the community, instead, you are embraced and appreciated for your unique qualities.
Support
Who do you turn to when you need something? Having people you can call on when you need to talk or need help with something can help you through difficult situations that might feel insurmountable alone. Knowing there are people who support you can help you feel cared for and safe and can benefit your outlook on life.
Purpose
In community, people, fill different roles. Perhaps you’re the friend who enjoys cooking and can be counted on to bring a hot meal over when someone is going through something. Or you’re the friend whom others know they can call when they need to talk about their struggles. These roles can give you a sense of purpose by bettering other people’s lives. Having a purpose, and helping others, helps give meaning to life.
Join us this month in our #planksforyourneighbor in recognition of all those who silently suffer from mental health issues. Let’s unite together and be a community that stands up for others, or in
this case, planks. Vibe Fitness is giving away a Vibe T-Shirt to everyone who planks for 2 minutes. Do a plank next time you are at our gym, or take a video of yourself and send it to our Facebook Messenger. How ever you choose to participate we thank you for showing you care!
