“Way to Almost Connect With the World”: 21-Year-Old, Battling Depression and Anxiety, Credits Life-Changing Surfing Sessions for His Recovery

People around the world surf for various reasons. It’s true that the adventurous sport is wrought with dangers lurking around the waters in more ways than one, and yet common folks take to surfing all the time. Besides its usual adrenaline rush, surfing has also proven to have some healing powers. 21-year-old Peter Wissink from Australia is living proof of how surfing can help even in the darkest moments of life. Wissink recently spoke about how surfing transformed his life more than he could imagine.

Peter Wissink recently spoke to ABC Australia about his association with the mental health group Surf Therapy organization Flowstate Margaret River. He and the founders of the therapy organization explained how ‘Surf therapy’ works and how Wissink benefited from it.

How surfing was revolutionary for Peter Wissink

In a YouTube video, Peter Wissink said to ABC Australia, “Surfing, you get to see a whole different light, you get to like immerse yourself more in the ocean. It’s a way to almost connect with the world. It’s grounding just to be immersed in water or walking through land, sand, bush. Doesn’tmatter”. Wissink found solace in surfing like nothing else in his life.

The non-profit organization Flowstate Margaret River, which Wissink is associated with, is run by Brooke Paterson and Rob West. Their aim is to combine two of their passions into one and help people with it. The two are “surfing and getting in the ocean” and “promoting mental health awareness”, Paterson told ABC Australia.

READ MORE – “It Infected My Heart”: Despite Suffering Saddening Fate Once, Surfer Found Peace in the Ocean

Wissink also said how his mental struggles crippled him from a very young age. He was diagnosed with depression at a very young age and suffered from General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) among others. Later on, he also had BPD, which Wissink says “is in short emotional instability”.

Why more and more people are opting for surf therapy

Wissink opened up about all his struggles from his childhood that caused him a lot of pain. Right around then, Paterson said why people who go through such terrible pain and struggles fall in love with the ocean instantly. She said, “Ocean is a grounding, calming place, and also a place that’s very mindful”. It was as if she considered the vast oceans a sacred place for everyone. Bringing the discussion back to their therapy program, Paterson stated that they are currently in the last week of the 6-week program, where they are focusing on the “neuroscience of change and goal-setting and moving forward“.

Surfing has helped many people before. Australian military veterans who faced unfortunate life circumstances opted for surfing to overcome the trauma. For Peter Wissink, his goal is set to continue surfing forever, as it has been a life-changing experience for him. In the end, he said, “Riding a wave feels really, really good”, and that’s about all that any well-wisher of Wissink would love to hear.

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