Thread: Is it natural?

I dance for hours non stop, if I stop maybe because I'm at work or out of the house. Even if I'm out I feel my muscles are moving and my brains choreographing..

Is this natural? I feel I need more and more and more and more training.

I have been dancing for years and its not new to me. I do not understand why I'm being like this?

I cant sleep now I was just dancing and I'm still on internet searching new songs to work on.

Will it be I'm stressing? or do you get like that too?

It could welll be stress related.

Er, don't take this the wrong way but you're not prone to mania, are you? Been taking "substances" more than usual, or new ones? I imagine a bipolar belly dancer could get like that when becoming elevated.

Originally Posted by zumarrad

Been taking "substances" more than usual, or new ones? I imagine a bipolar belly dancer could get like that when becoming elevated.

No you are not being rude, I needed someone to talk to me. No I dont take anything. What do you mean by substances?

Is what you're saying that dance is interfering with your sleep?

I get excited about dance and get into practicing and working on things, but I make sure I get enough sleep and do take time to do other things than dance.

Originally Posted by ImmanMussa

No you are not being rude, I needed someone to talk to me. No I dont take anything. What do you mean by substances?

Drugs and alcohol is what I mean by substances. Because that can kick you into hypomania. I'm NOT a specialist in this area btw! I am sure it's just related to other stresses and dance being a strong distraction.

Originally Posted by indigostars

Is what you're saying that dance is interfering with your sleep?

I get excited about dance and get into practicing and working on things, but I make sure I get enough sleep and do take time to do other things than dance.

I guess just stressing and maybe by dancing is making me happy..xxx...

What you are describing could be completely normal. Falling in love is normal, and that is also accompanied by infatuation and repetitive thinking about the object of your affection. Usually this frantic state fades over time and becomes more manageable and less time consuming.

However, if you are being driven to distraction by recurring thoughts or desires to do specific things, that can become a problem. If you are always in this sort of mental state and always obsessed with something (fixating on one hobby after another), or obsessed so much with one thing that not being able to do it causes you really distressing anxiety, then that could be indicative of a situation that requires a little counseling to learn how to retrain your brain not to behave that way. Even if this is just a behavior to cope with a temporarily stressful situation, it might not be a bad idea to investigate a couple of other methods of managing anxiety such as meditation and other relaxation therapies. Sometimes people who rely on physical activity as their primary calming behavior find they push themselves to the point of injury when things get really rough, leaving them with more to worry about and no way to vent.

Imman,

I have really enjoyed your videos on YouTube. You are an emotional dancer with such wonderful technique and connection with the music. I think dance must really complete you. Is it possible that you have some emotional stress going on in some other part of your life that dance helps with?

Balance in one's life is so important. I am so glad that I have other passions and interests although all seem to revolve around either physical activity (hiking, canoeing, working out, showing my dogs) or creative outlets (sewing, drawing, singing).

If you are concerned about the need to dance more and more, perhaps make an effort to take some time to do something else. Get out for a long walk in the countryside or go to a concert or museum or visit some family or friends.

This will only add more depth to your dance.

Souzan

Originally Posted by Souzan

Imman, Is it possible that you have some emotional stress going on in some other part of your life that dance helps with? Souzan

You know Souzan, I cant say anything its just true..wish I can talk about things but I can never open up..dancing is the only place I can talk and tell my feelings..

I'm emotional now just from reading your quote asking about emotional stress..

I tried talking to professional counselor but they just look at me not talk to me..they do not understand anything and my thoughts..I think I will try and do things I never done before and see if it will work..

Thank you xxxx

Originally Posted by Tourbeau

managing anxiety such as meditation and other relaxation therapies. Sometimes people who rely on physical activity as their primary calming behavior find they push themselves to the point of injury when things get really rough, leaving them with more to worry about and no way to vent.

I will take meditation and I think I will start doing other things to keep my mind relaxed..

Hey Imman -

I am going to second Souzan's statement about finding balance. Sounds as though you are currently dealing with a lot of stress and little in the way of an outlet. If you are still interested in finding a counselor, I would highly suggest that you keep looking. I know there are many out there who use a more proactive / interactive model than the traditional just-let-the-client-talk style counselors.

if I could make a suggestions, would you be wiling to try free form writing? Set aside 15 mins to simply write what ever comes to mind. There is no right or wrong, it doesn't even need to make sense. Not to get too graphic, but some people call this vomiting on paper.

See what comes forward in your consciousness. When you are done, shred or burn the paper. If something has come forward during the writing session, set those pages aside to be copied. But understand that this si not a creative session out a session of writing to get the energy out and moving! I have seen miraculous things happen by using this process. Eventually, people who practice this on a regular basis, have been known to get their sessions up to 2 hours! really amazing opportunities for revealing and healing old stuff!

And remember to breathe!

{{{HUGS}}}}

Imman,

There are so many styles of counseling. And it is not always easy to find someone you feel really comfortable with. I have battled with depression and panic/anxiety disorder for many years and thankfully the right medications, exercise, finding emotional outlets and support, and the right counselor have really helped me find peace in my life. The right counselor for me was one who just happened to also be a dancer. And she recognized how important the dance is to me as a way to express feelings that there seem to be no outlet for in normal conversations.

Souzan

Originally Posted by tahiradancer

If you are still interested in finding a counselor, I would highly suggest that you keep looking. I know there are many out there who use a more proactive / interactive model than the traditional just-let-the-client-talk style counselors.

If you decide to look for a counselor, try to find someone who is trained in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). Qualified CBT practitioners are dedicated to making progress and demonstrating timely improvement in their patients. They work with the patient to set specific goals and they use detailed exercises to correct negative or unproductive thinking patterns--they don't do open-ended talk therapy where the patient rambles about problems while they take notes and nod.

Originally Posted by Souzan

Imman,

There are so many styles of counseling. And it is not always easy to find someone you feel really comfortable with. I have battled with depression and panic/anxiety disorder for many years and thankfully the right medications, exercise, finding emotional outlets and support, and the right counselor have really helped me find peace in my life. The right counselor for me was one who just happened to also be a dancer. And she recognized how important the dance is to me as a way to express feelings that there seem to be no outlet for in normal conversations.

Souzan

I second the idea of getting a counselor one feels comfortable with; I found a stress counselor who really helped me understand how stress can throw the "balance" off in my life. I was staying up too late; obsessing about dance - especially sewing projects and winding up exhausted and even more stressed. She also referred me back to my internist for a check-up to make sure it wasn't physical and it wasn't. It actually took about two months of counseling before I was able to get "balance" back into my life and stick to a more normal routine of activities/sleep and oh yes, eating right!

I heartily recommend the idea of getting a check up at md - you want to rule out a physical problem first.

Good luck and don't despair - even when I was a "working" nightclub dancer and had a full-time day job, I did not have episodes of stress and no balance - it happened much later and was TOTALLY due to other stresses in my life; i.e., my daughter's horrible divorce.

Take care and let us know how you are doing.

Are you working on several choreographies at once and not finishing any of them?? are you being truely productive?? Perhaps you need a holiday away from the dance, with a non dance friend. Sometimes you need to have a fresh slate so that you can be even better when you come back to it after a few weeks.