Highlights
- Sukant Suki Singh is an ultra-marathon runner and an author.
- Limitless Humans talks about how running helped him lead a meaningful life
- Singh has run the 100 km Ultra Marathon at the Surf Coast Century in Feb 2020
After completing his Masters, he continued his education to study media and communication for the next couple of years.
It was in 2019 when he first felt anxious and depressed.
"I went through a very dark phase of my life in 2019. I went home [India] on April 15 in 2019 and returned ten days later on April 25. I came back feeling very anxious and depressed. So much so that I wanted to throw myself in front of a train the next day. The expectations of the families and the pressure on international students coming to Australia is just too much. I couldn’t cope. Many International students undergo this experience,” he told SBS Hindi.
He says the next few days he spent searching 'medicine for anxiety' on the internet but found many articles recommending running and some books to overcome anxiety.
“I wanted to recover from that phase and so I took to running," he says.
He says many of his peers and professors at the Monash University helped him in this recovery process.
"Running helped me overcome anxiety and depression. I started training and participated in several marathons. In September 2019, I ran the 100 km Ultra Marathon and in February 2020 I ran the 204 km Ultra Marathon. Running marathons changed my life," he says.
Almost a year later, he has now penned his experiences of fighting anxiety and depression through running marathons into his memoir, Limitless Humans.
Source: Supplied
“There is a book in everyone”, Mr Singh says.
"Every migrant has a story. We can all write a book. Some come here from a war zone, some as international students, and yet others as skilled migrants. I too had a story which I have narrated in this book.”
Today, Sukant is a healthy and positive young man who is determined to inspire others by sharing his experiences.
He says his book has received a good response from those who have read it, which includes the Indian High Commissioner in Australia His Excellency Gitesh Sarma.
"However, the greatest feedback came from a reader who wrote to me that he had been in and out of jail several times and was an alcoholic and drug addict.
"Currently, he is on page 57 of the book and he says he loves it. He agrees that running can change one’s life and reduce anxiety. The reader also joined a 100 km virtual challenge and participated in his first Marathon to celebrate his new sober life," Mr Singh says.
He adds, "My school, my university, my parents, my family, my friends, my workmates, even strangers taught me to build my CV but running a marathon taught me how to build a life.”
Source: Supplied
Readers seeking support with mental health can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. More information is available at Beyond Blue.org.au.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (up to age 25).
Embrace Multicultural Mental Health supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Disclaimer: We’d like to point out that the information contained in this segment is general and is not specific advice. If you would like accurate information relevant to your situation, you should ask a health professional.
