swimming

tips on how to cope: dealing with your feelings, dealing with the consequences of self-harm in your life. share your ideas and maybe pick up some new skills, too. you don't have to want to stop to learn something new here.

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swimming

Post by Proximity » Mon Sep 20, 2004 5:27 pm

so I have found a good peaceful thing to do.
I know that a lot of us don't really want to put on a bathing suit for various reasons, and believe me, I have those reasons as well, but I have been making an effort to go swiming in my c ollege's pool, and I am finding it very helpful,
not only is it good to get exercise, but it is also a peaceful activity, it is rhythmic, and it is calming, and you only hear the water, and it's cool, and nice and you don't get too hot, and it's solitary, and it's just a very nice thing.
and I found that it was just a good thing to get my mind off of bad things, and just let my brain relax and my thoughts drift a bit.

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Post by demidivine » Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:54 pm

same here, actually. i set myself a target of 80 lengths an hour, which for me is flat-out, and just keeping count and timing myself takes up most of my mind. also, after an hour of that, i have a nice flat stomach and feel good about myself, which helps too :) i have a leg syndrome, too, so swimming's good for supporting and easing pain, better than jogging anyway. the only problem is the dash between the changing rooms and the pool (well, scampering walk, anyway) before anyone sees me in the almost-nuddy.

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Post by pretty » Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:24 am

I love swimming, for all the reasons you stated prox. It's so calming and soothing, and it makes me feel so much better afterwards. I love swimming in the evening, then going home just to have dinner and go to bed. I sleep so much better after a good swim. I should really make an effort to go more.

And once I'm in the water no one can see my scars or flab or anything, so it's really not an issue for me.
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Post by Bathelina » Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:27 pm

Wow, it's the first time I've heard someone say something like that, but it makes a lot of sense. I think I might try that; swimming has always been theraputic for me, even though I am not very good and I do not do it very much.

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sounds cool

Post by DecemberLivy » Tue Sep 21, 2004 3:06 pm

i have never thought about swimming in that way, that is strange, i like to do lenths, really push my self to do the target lenths and after i feel exhausted and relived. its realzing in a very different way for me :D

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Post by strmdncr » Thu Sep 23, 2004 7:12 am

I don't do swimming, but use my karate classes for the same effect, to get into a rhythm/pattern thing and just shut out the rest of my day. It's what I call my "me time".
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Post by *Carly* » Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:23 pm

Its odd I read this thread tonight after going to the clubs and society fair at Uni, was talked into joining the swimming team/club. Was aprehensive generally, but eventually signed up. Was considering not turning up, but after reading this, I think I will :D

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Post by Boris » Wed Sep 29, 2004 11:17 pm

music is for me what swimming is for you. i find swimming to be too much of a stress, because of the scars vs. bathing suit issue, and also because i'm an awful swimmer.

what i like about music is that it takes all of my thoughts up, and i'm concentrating on just the music, and also that it sounds pretty.

of course, it's not relaxing any more when i'm preparing for a piano exam...but as long as it's not close to an important concert/exam, music is pretty much my best therapy. i'd sooner drop out of school (and i'm one of those geeky kids who LIKES school) than stop taking piano lessons.
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Post by arpeggiated » Thu Sep 30, 2004 8:54 am

After swimming competitively for 5 years (and lifeguarding/teaching swim lessons), it's hard for me to get in a pool and just relax. I have an urge to swim laps. But I always loved the 'quiet time' to sing to myself.

My new gym doesn't have a pool. :( But they have the most awesome yoga instructor. Yoga's very nice too... it's very spiritual to contort your body to your will.
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Post by Tamrick » Thu Sep 30, 2004 7:42 pm

I didn't go near a swimming pool til last year cause of the SI, but then I got a fantastic bf who would push me in the pool in my clothes and who I could drag in in his clothes and we could swim clothed with everyione thinking it was his fault :) I'm not sure if this year I will be ready toi swim in a costume unless it is just him and me around, but if not I can just wear clothes that are easy to swim in :)
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Post by runningforeva85 » Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:23 am

my friend has asked me several times to go swimming with her and I sort of been ignoring her. I am still to apprehensive to go out in a bathing suit and exposing my scars. I found though that jogging for me is great and gives me motivation to go further each time and to push myself. I love it.

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Post by ~*Star*~ » Sat Oct 09, 2004 5:49 pm

arpeggiated wrote: it's hard for me to get in a pool and just relax. I have an urge to swim laps.
Same, it doesn't feel right if I'm not training whilst in a swimming pool. I've always found swimming a really big release, I've turned up so many times in a bad place, then after the two hours felt better in myself. Water always makes me feel safe and free; wish I could swim forever.

Over the last year my training has got really poor though :(
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Post by darkrose » Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:33 am

ya! Swimming is very.....freeing. It's just you and the water...you don't have to worry about other people or trying to be happy...you just...swim.
Thank you for posting!

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Post by pink_flower » Wed Oct 27, 2004 11:28 pm

I love swimming!! I havn't been recently caus i've got a bunch of cuts on my leg at the mo, also there is communol changing. I don't mind if ppl see them, i just don't want my friend who i go with to see them.

I really want to go swimming though because i find it really relaxing and its good exercise :D

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Post by yellowdreams » Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:58 pm

wow, I'm glad you've found something theraputic.

I was always scared of going swimming because of my scars but in the end I went and even though I was really apprehensive at first, I soon realised that in a big pool no one really takes any notice and if you swim fast they can't see anything! I still wouldn't go with friend who don't know about my SI but I'm getting there.


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Post by dreams » Sun Nov 07, 2004 2:58 pm

I've wanted to go for a long time. Just can't seem to make myself but on a swimsuit :-?

Hearing that you do it gives me the strength to keep trying. I know i'm gonna make a fool of myself cos i can't swim very well and people might see my scars but i really wanna learn

note to self go to swimming centre and at least find out how much it costs

thanks for sharing

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Post by LN7 » Sun Nov 07, 2004 6:56 pm

I get round the swimsiut problem by wearing boys swimming shorts over my costume, you know, some of the longer ones that cover the areas I have sied.
For arm scars have you considered wearing a rash guard? surfers wear them all the time, okay you get one of two odd looks when you first arrive but as you're in the water most of the time people aren't bothered...
I get plenty of odd looks in my bright blue and red shorts but I figure that it doens't matter, people just think you're weird, rather than beign scared becasue you have scars.

I love swimming, especially diving and swimming under water. I love the peace and freedom you have under there, even if it's only a couple of minutes.

Plus fun pools and rapids are great times to act like a kid!
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Post by {{ silent scream }} » Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:04 pm

i love swiming, i love love love it.

wen i was little my perents used to joke i would grow fins and swim away......

now, i havnt worn a swimsuit in.... close onto 4 yrs now?

i hate the fact that im too f*cking coward to do it.

i wish i had the courage to do it, but i just panick if i even find a swimsuit in my draw.

:evil:
i wish i were beautiful

i wish i were thin.........

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Post by lin » Sun Nov 07, 2004 9:24 pm

I've found swimming to be really good, except I've been too scared to go for the past year. I'm a coward when it comes to swimsuits too.
However, even so, when I did go I ALWAYS wore shorts (helps not just with hiding scars, but body issues too). Here (in NZ) it's pretty common anyway so no one really seems to care. If you can get away with it, then it's a really good way to cover scars etc if you want to swim and not have anyone see.

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