Throughout my whole life swimming has been something that I can rely on, it’s always been there for me. I feel comfortable in the water more than anywhere else.
One of the most difficult parts of becoming a parent was the loss of identity and the loss of self - I was in a rut, so I drank. Swimming has given me something else.
I experienced my first panic attack in my twenties leading to issues with alcohol and depression. Now I am a fitness instructor using exercise to cope with my mental health battles.
Some of my triathlon training is done with a very close group of friends, who know I’ve been ill, so they let me offload. Exercising socially has been a huge distraction and in fact great therapy