“Sport is one of the many keys to happiness.” – David Jarvis’s story of sport and mental health.
By William Moncrieff, Communications Officer.
David Jarvis (43 years-old from Aberchirder, Grampian) took up a career in the British Armed Forces. However, whilst he was on active service he had several injuries including being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This resulted in David being medically discharged.
Once he had been discharged, David took sport back up with a hope of being able to exercise and strengthen his knee joints, an injury that took place whilst on active service, as well as gaining some mental benefits from being active.
“I took up cycling in 2015 after several months of depression and I was struggling to find something to do,” David explained.
“As a squaddie my normal roles were running, weight carrying, marching with Bergens (army rucksacks) on my back and all that kind of stuff, it was my bread and butter. To be stopped from doing it was something I found challenging.”
Once David had been discharged from the army, he sought guidance from Help For Heros who, “essentially directed me to the Invictus Games.”
Once David had started with the Invictus Games, he found the process of challenging himself and working towards a goal to be significant and meaningful. “The Invictus Games was the next step for myself getting my motivation back,” said David. However, it wasn’t long into David’s journey in the Invictus Games, when he faced a new challenge: “It was going well and I was getting the most out of it but then the type one diabetes threw a massive curveball. Long story short, it nearly killed me.”
It was after this that David concluded that he was going to focus his efforts on one goal: “I decided if I’m going to keep going, I am going for the top spot or I am not going at all. So, it was gold or nothing and that was the point that I went, ‘right I am going to win my cycling time trial event’,” David said.
Flashforward and gold was his: “It was kind of like the flood gates opened when they put the medal on me,” said David.
The moment was made extra special with his family being there: “He (Prince Harry) got my daughter over the security barriers; she came running over and we had a cuddle in front of the world media.”
Today, David has taken up swimming again, after having stopped to focus on cycling during the Invictus Games. He is already feeling both the psychological and physiological benefits. “Swimming… it does make me feel better about myself when I am doing it. I don’t feel so vulnerable about my injuries.”
After entering into a Para swimming event in Fraserburgh and performing well, David has taken the next step and was part of Grampian Disability Sport’s swimming team: “I am actually joining Team Grampian at the National Swimming Championships.”
David reflects back over his last few years and is extremely grateful for all of the opportunities that he has been provided with through sport and physical activity. Consequently, David is keen to give back to the sporting community.
“I could tell you that sport means a lot to me personally – and I do various things myself – but I think the better way to demonstrate what it means, is what I try and do in my local community because I recently took over the running of the community gym in my village (Aberchirder Community Gym),” he said.
“I want to try and create opportunities, just like people created opportunities for me, because I want people to feel like they can do more.”
He continued to say: “I took over the gym because I have a real passion for fitness in general, not just the physical aspect, but the mental aspect as well.”
“Sport is one of the many keys to happiness.”
To find out what sporting opportunities are available near to you, you can contact your Regional Development Manager. To keep up-to-date on all of the ongoing work. Make sure to follow Scottish Disability Sport on Facebook, X and Instagram, as well as on the SDS website.
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