Mary woke up with the same feeling of dread she felt every morning since her husband passed away. His death came so suddenly. He was experiencing pain in his side followed by a trip to the emergency room, tests and more test, and the horrible diagnoses of pancreatic cancer. They were holding hands as the doctor delivered the bad news. Prognosis wasn’t good; only months to live. He was sadly gone in one month. Mary was devastated. Here she was, in the dream home she and her husband had always wanted in beautiful Sarasota after they both retired from their jobs, and she was now all alone. What to do?
New to the area, she didn’t have many friends, but someone told her about pickleball. This was interesting because Mary wasn’t ready to sit in a rocking chair. She looked up Sarasota Pickleball and soon found me, Pickleball Terry. After her first lesson she felt more alive than she had in months, and she was hooked. Pickleball became her new way to exercise mixed with a social network.
What is depression? (from the internet)
A mental health disorder characterized by persistently depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life.
Possible causes include a combination of biological, psychological, and social sources of distress. Increasingly, research suggests these factors may cause changes in brain function, including altered activity of certain neural circuits in the brain.
Social isolation and depression in older adults
Everyone needs social connections to survive and thrive. But as people age, they often find themselves spending more time alone. Studies show that loneliness and social isolation are associated with higher rates of depression.
What happens as we get older or as I like to put it, seasoned? Loneliness? Feeling isolated? Feeling unwanted or not needed? We have spent all of our lives hurrying through the days of our youth and middle age, when we finally achieve our retirement years. Now what to do? Read the entire New York Times everyday? Then what? Puzzles? What about social interactions? Or something to live for? No wonder people get depressed.
Is pickleball the cure for depression?
I am not so bold to say that pickleball is the cure for depression, but it can’t hurt. As long as you’re physically able, pickleball is a great way to stimulate dopamine, the happiness hormone. It also great for keeping you busy. The part of the brain that causes anxiety and depression is amygdala, hippocampus, and the dorsomedial thalamus. Amygdala is what is called the lizard brain that sends out danger signals. But unfortunately, these signals continue through the day for no reason. Thinking about what the score is, who is serving, trying to get the 3rd shot drop in can give your brain something to do besides worrying.
Things that set off depression can be a big life change like moving to a new town, divorce, or the loss of a spouse. Sometimes there is no reason you can put your finger on why you are depressed.
I was talking to another player who told me that her way to manage her depression was to get up every morning and get moving. She heads to the pickleball court where she mingles with fellow players and gets her daily exercise quota mixed with fun.
Everyone needs a purpose
It also supplies a purpose in life. Implementing pickleball as your new hobby is an excellent way to get out of the house and to see other people. I know when I go to Colonial Oaks Park, it’s an uplifting experience. I’m happy to see everyone, and I talk and laugh with the other players. Before I know it, my Fitbit is buzzing letting me know I hit 10k steps. But I take it lightly until I talk to someone who lets me know how pickleball has changed their life. That takes my breath away. When I hear some of the struggles people have gone through or are going through, and then tell me how much pickleball has helped them, it send shivers down my spine. I realize just how important pickleball is to the seniors in Sarasota and to the rest of the country. It’s bigger than I ever realized. Not just a game.
You are not alone
So, if you think your the only one who is using pickleball to help your depression or anxiety, you are not alone. My pickleball circle is large and I talk to many players. Some players are going through incredible hardships and they still show up on the court. That’s their “ME” time. A time to not think about dying relatives or their next chemo treatment. You never know what the player next to you is going through.
COVID and pickleball
Pickleball was a saving grace during COVID. What the heck would we all have done without pickleball. I took all of 2 weeks off and I was back on the courts as soon as the county allowed us. And I have spoken to players who have said if it wasn’t for pickleball they didn’t know how they would have gotten through COVID.
What other sport do you know where you can just go anywhere and drop in for a game? I was in Pompano and looked up pickleball courts nearby. With in 30 minutes I was playing on a court with new people making friends and having fun. This sport is amazing.
Sure, my upstate NY friends think I’m crazy. They have actually said they would come and visit me but they won’t play pickleball. Boy, they don’t know what they are missing. I’m busy and happy. I’m in a good place.
Thanks for reading!
Pickleball Terry
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