Utilising the ocean as an arena for combating anxiety
Words by Lydia Paleschi
Quite often the things we fear the most are the things we need to address the most. Whilst it can be overwhelming to even consider tackling these areas of our lives, wild swimming provides us with the opportunity to develop the skills we need to be able to do so, before we’re ready to face them head on.
Cold water swimming triggers the body’s natural stress response. An evolutionary development formed over millions of years to help us to deal with threats, this includes increased heart rate, blood pressure and the release of stress hormones. Whilst this may sound terrifying to anyone with an anxious disposition, for myself many others it has instead been an incredibly rewarding experience.
Although the release of adrenaline can frequently be a trigger for panic attacks, when wild swimming, the physical sensations that are felt when entering cold water bring us into the present moment. Attention draws to the breath, to the numbness and tingling sensations spreading across the skin and to the awe-inspiring realisation that we are at one with nature. For that brief moment, our sensory systems are overwhelmed to the point that we have no choice other than to forget our anxieties and fears.
The physical sensations that are felt when entering cold water bring us into the present moment.
At the same time, the body is supported by the water. Even more so when wearing a wetsuit and in salt water. This means that swimming is easy with little movement. There are no feelings of spinning or falling over when exerting ourselves and the calming effects of being outside in nature are a welcome distraction. Doing this just a few times over the course of two weeks is proven to have a lasting positive impact on a person’s ability to withstand stress and anxiety, but the real magic happens when it is incorporated into a routine on a regular basis.
The impact of sustained exposure to cold water swimming
The sustained practice of being out of our comfort zone makes us braver, but it has to be done in the right way. Anyone who has undertaken cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) will understand this and the idea of gradual exposure to what induces an anxiety response.
Wild swimming provides us with an arena to practice this in an enjoyable and healthy way. Being out of our comfort zone in the water and overcoming the mental barriers we are presented with whilst doing so teaches us to become more brave. It is a place for us to push ourselves further each time, a practice we can then apply to other areas of life. It is much easier to track our progress – whether that be time spent in the water or distance the distance swum – than other life tasks and therefore progress is quantifiable. This helps us to feel more confident and less fearful next time around. Because wild swimming is an activity we can physically undertake with other people (many of whom are nervous about getting in too), we don’t have to feel like we’re doing it alone.
Wild swimming is an activity we can undertake with other people, so we don't have to feel like we're doing it alone.
Small incremental achievements in the water build up over time, rewiring our brain to be less afraid and more confident through small wins. Gradually pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone and confronting our fears is the very essence of CBT and of personal growth. Persevering through the feelings of discomfort enables us to become resilient to them and after a short period of time to enjoy the feeling of success in overcoming them. As a result, we are able to achieve a shift in perspective, so that instead of seeing things as a threat we see them as a challenge. By achieving this shift in mindset, the feelings of anxiousness cease to exist. Instead, they are replaced by feelings of possibility and excitement. We are rewarded with a feeling of bravery.
It’s worth remembering that bravery takes on different forms for each of us at various stages throughout our lives. It’s not something to be compared with others and it is ever-evolving. For you, it may be the case that just getting into the water is a big step, or that you want to swim the channel. It may be that you wish to reduce the symptoms of generalised anxiety, or that you want to want to completely change your life. Either way, the key is to focus on your next step and to tackle one thing at a time, rather than becoming overwhelmed by the bigger picture. By confronting our fears in bite-sized chunks, and pushing ourselves in healthy ways, over time we are able to achieve incredible things. Going for a wild swim could be your first step in achieving them.
If you’d like to find others to go wild swimming with, you can do so via our swim groups page.
You can also learn more about the mental and physical benefits of wild swimming here.
