Spin cycling is therapeutic.
“Spin Against Stigma” is special because of what it represents.
“This is really important to me because I actually attempted suicide in Carlsbad in 2016,” said organizer Benji Fukanan.
That was seven years ago.
“As an Asian American growing up in a white society, I had a lot of trauma,” he said. “I was bullied, you know, made fun of. And what made me feel better was alcohol.”
Addiction drove Fukanan into darkness and drove him to attempt suicide, but he was given another chance to live. With the help of his instructor Janine Coulter, he attempts to use the opportunity to save others.
Hukanan’s nonprofit organization, the Gooden Center, selected Coulter to lead the ride.
“I’m also a recovering person,” Coulter said. “So I was a homeless meth and heroin addict in Oceanside for many years.”
She started working at her first studio when she was just 19 days sober. That’s what pulled her off her shelf.
“When I sobered up, I could always go back to my fitness coaching job,” she said. “And I think that’s what kept me fighting because it always gave me something to go back to what I loved and what I was good at. …These things have unfolded in a way that has put me in a position to give back to the people who fought for me and were struggling just like I was. ”
For those suffering, Dr. Tremble said they don’t need to be diagnosed to get help.
“Why don’t we talk now and strategize on how to improve your life so you don’t develop something diagnosable?” she said. “Exercising regularly is probably as beneficial as taking sacred tropical medicines like antidepressants.”
The recovery brought Benji and Janine together. Their goal is to continue building a community that shows people there is strength in numbers when it comes to mental health support.
