Fighting Back Against Depression

Depression has been something that I have learned to live with, for almost 31 years of life. It took me a great while to come forward and talk about it, largely because of the immense social stigma that surrounds it. A lot of people assume that because one struggles with depression, that they must be weak and only need to be tougher.

Worse yet, many people assume that they have to go into the battle alone. I started noticing bouts with sadness flow in and out of my life. But when winter came, the sadness was prolonged. Like a visitor who over stayed it's welcome. As a kid, getting out of my wheel-chair and pretending to be a ninja turtle or power ranger was my greatest escape.

And it still is, not in the sense that I still pretend I'm a power ranger or some sort of super hero (okay, maybe there is some truth to that). But this is vastly why I started Adaptive Defense, was so that people in wheel-chairs, people that use crutches or that people with various health issues can not only learn to protect themselves, but so that they can experience the same Joy that martial arts has given me.

I know that when I get on the mats, or pick up a bar-bell all the sadness and regret fades away. All I want is the same for you, there is peace to be discovered in life, the storm doesn't have to prevail.

-Brandon Ryan
Adaptive Defense Founder