Cérge: A story of inclusion (basketball)

AT EAGLE STADIUM

May 6, 2024

the power of anxiety and depression

I thought my love for basketball was gone forever, I thought we had our time & now we were over for good. I haven’t played basketball for 6 years, it’s like losing so much of my identity, a part of myself.

I’m a huge fan of sport but I have anxiety & depression, I like to live alone and I like quiet places. Quiet places & sport don’t always go together that well, so for the past few years anxiety wins & I haven’t been able to immerse myself in sport like in the past.

I know playing again would help. I just can’t get to the point of where it can help me because my barriers aren’t in playing the sport. My barriers are leaving the house. People don’t get that most of the time.

Whenever I have to go somewhere, my mind pretends like I am already there & starts having different conversations. It’s anxiety.

So many voices & thoughts all telling me different scenarios & that makes it hard for me to concentrate. When I reach the place where I know it will be busy my heart starts beating fast, I feel alot of anxiety & discomfort & my brain get frozen. All I can think of is bad situations. Bad outcomes. Bad scenarios. It’s exhausting.

I am scared people are going to make fun of me & won’t talk to me & it loops around & around. When I go in there & I am not comfortable I start feeling anxious & uneasy & feel like running away. Fight or flight kicks in & it can really take over my life.

So many voices & thoughts all telling me different scenarios & that makes it hard for me to concentrate. When I reach the place where I know it will be busy my heart starts beating fast, I feel alot of anxiety & discomfort & my brain get frozen.

I heard about Cérge & at first wasn’t sure it could help me. I didn’t want to make a big deal or draw attention to myself but I noticed Eagle Stadium was on the app & they have basketball. I love ball.

It took me a while to work up the courage to go to check it out. I looked at the Visual Story & Sensory Guide & went through all the stuff on the app. I knew if I could prepare my brain for what it would see by looking at all the photos, then when I get there it would be like what I have already seen & it would hack my brain to feel more at ease.

The survival tips and processes of anxiety & depression are very real & often very unnoticed. After a few months I finally felt ready. I had all the information and all the visuals. I used the app to let customer service know I was going and used the Cérge chat in the app also for support.

Arriving at Eagle Stadium & going to the courts felt like home, I could not look away. The smell of the court, the squeak of the ball. My body remembered & it felt like home. The staff were so welcoming and kind & gave me a timetable and spoke to me about what was on and when.

Hearing the bounce, the ball, the cheers, the thumping as people ran up & down the courts. I need to be back. I am so coming back. I left with desire & plan! The staff gave me the details of who organise teams so I can play in a team & I also asked about tennis as I would love to play tennis. Buts that’s the next story! 💜💜💜

This Story Of Inclusion brought to life by WynActive.

Cérge @ AquaPulse | Cérge @ Eagle Stadium | Cérge @ Werribee Outdoor Pool