According to The Anxiety and Depression Association of America, more than 6.8 billion adults in the United States suffer from generalized anxiety disorders. Those who suffer with anxiety know that it can be an unpredictable and debilitating illness which interferes with day-to-day life. For Stephanie Borem, this is the type of anxiety and depression that she faced on a daily basis, but she found a way to cope with it. This My #IndyMini Story is a story of the hope and relief that one woman discovered through running the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon.
In 2015, Stephanie’s anxiety and depression hit a peak. She was held captive by her irrational fears which kept her awake at night and disrupted her life on a daily basis. But, one constant comfort she found from her anxiety and depression was her ability to run. She began to use running as an escape from her harmful thoughts and anxiety.
“My mind ran crazy 24/7, I never slept, and life turned into one long day with naps,” Stephanie said. “I started to worry about things that weren’t real, things that may happen, and misconstruing things that did happen. I couldn’t concentrate, I felt I was failing as a wife and mother, but I could still run.”
Stephanie incorporated running into her daily routine. She quickly developed a love for running and a desire to connect with other runners. So, she signed up for and began training for the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. While preparing for the Mini-Marathon, she made incredible strides in coping with her anxiety.
“The harder and faster I ran, life seemed easier to handle,” Stephanie said. “After every run leading up to the 2015 Mini-Marathon, I got stronger mentally and physically.”
Running provided Stephanie with an outlet for her anxiety and depression, and it gave her confidence that she never had before. Her 2015 Mini Marathon results reflected her new passion for running.
“I gave it everything I had, and ran hard the entire 13.1,” Stephanie said. “I smashed my previous PR, finishing 1:39.37 officially. I never dreamed I could go sub 1:40, (especially at 36 with 2 kids under 4), but this proved anything is possible.”
Stephanie still deals with anxious thoughts that sneak up on her, but she applies mental strategies that she uses in her running to combat them.
“I do have more good days than bad, but I still worry and let ridiculous thoughts creep in my head,” Stephanie said. “But I quiet them, thinking that I must ‘push through, and run on’.”
Follow Stephanie’s journey at: http://runtrimom.blogspot.com/