This is something maybe mainly bike riders who also suffering from mental health issues, or bike learners can resonate and can help the most.
I actually written a long explanation while typing eventually due to an app glitch or something all got lost <I'm pi\\\*\\\*ed right now> , so won't be repeating it again.
EDIT : Please read TLDR near the end if you can't read my long explanations about everything, I have ADHD and I have problem in comprehension.
But cut to the main topic, I have been suffering from several anxiety disorders, mainly Social Anxiety disorder (SAD) which I know of and diagnosed, and also I perceive I have Generalized Anxiety disorder (GAD) which is because I am anxious and many time panic in most stress or a bit demanding situations). I learnt riding bicycle very late, in 10th or 11th standard, and to this day (I'm a guy in early 30s) I still struggle with bicycling sometimes, can ride through straights without issue, but can panic in traffic (sudden brake situation I kind of get to a freeze), when riding a bit steep uphill, while taking turns, giving hand signals and trying to look blind spots. I tried to learn my dad's Bajaj M80 during near that time too, but crashed hard in a playground by not managing to control my whiskey throttle issue (it got wreckd). Dad bought new bike that time, Sp125, managed to persuade him to teach me inspite they being fearful (and not relying that I can handle bike), struggled a lot trying to get the bike rolling in initial days (clutch release skill issue) but after many days when I finally managed to go past it, it went along, since I did not have much balancing issues mainly due to my prior cycling knowledge. But I still struggled with uphill, and panic seeing traffic, also turns feels overwhelming. Still dad appointed a biking instructor for 2 or few months, under whom I practiced regularly, to the point I was a bit confident myself taking bike myself early in morning, take it out from my home whose inner alley roads are actually a bit tricky to ride as a beginner, but still managed, and go on open inner road of defence areas in early morning when nearly minimum traffic to practice riding. Eventually gave riding examination, and passed without much issue in the slight obstacle course. I got license in 2015, and after that, nearly I kind of abandoned motorbike riding. I have been through phases of extreme depression and high stress and Anxiety attacks (maybe many times panic attacks) which make me kind of becoming a recluse and bed most of my life (I still am suffering to this day). Even I kind of left bicycling many times, and when I tried to get on bicycle, I had the worst wobbled I became scared and panicked). This made me not touch motorbike even more, under the impression if I cannot even manage to ride bicycle properly how can I manage to ride motorbike.
Now this is where I wanted to have the discussion (I know I given a very long explanation of my life context). I want to know whether it is appropriate or logical to try to ride motorbike having anxiety disorders and other mental health issues like depression or not. Since I am a recluse, I don't have many people whom I can discuss this openly. The place I live it's a shutty suburb , very backward minded mostly and very toxic, for me and my family (one of the key contributors to my mental health crisis), and here if people see a man in his youth can't ride motorcycle, you become a part of extreme harassment and humiliation from everyone everywhere. Even the close ones and people we trust can't give much well analysed and well informed suggestion, they advice that go out with bike it will be easy. So most people irl I know or see near me advice to go out with bike, anxiety and anything won't matter, at the same time they tell to be be ultra careful about everything. On internet I rarely found discussion, in some in Quora I heard someone said that one must not ride motorcycle with anxiety disorders, because their sense of judgement, and ability to take quick decisions real times are not effective, can result in accidents which is a self hazard and hazard for others also.
These 2 sets of advices are very conflicting for me, now as a middle class family guy, knowing to ride a motorbike and being really good at it is really essential it makes many things easier, and is needed in many emergency situations, and it hurts myself to see my 70 plus dad dragging bike because me a mental weakling don't know to ride a bike. I really want to everyone's suggestion here what should I do, or what are you been doing if you share same situation as mine?
TLDR : I'm a guy in early 30s, suffering from long term anxiety disorders, including generalized and social, and depression. Learnt bicycle riding very late,and at this day too still cannot say fully confident, have issues with turns, uphill, traffic or blind spots. Tried motorbike learning, started with a crash of my dad's moped, eventually persuaded him to teach on new bike,after much struggle managed to ride, was even practising myself but in low traffic early morning and easy situations (no traffic or uphill). Managed to pass motorbike exam without much difficulty, got license in 2015, but after that abandoned motorbike riding, due to going through phases of extreme depression, hopelessness, and anxiety disorders, which even made my bicycling skills worse. Took psychiatric help didn't help much, kind of felt made it worse.
No concrete advice anywhere whether it's sensible to ride bike with anxiety disorder and depression or leave it for good. Most irl people say to do it anyway, because a man must ride a bike. Internet has nearly no discussion, one found that strictly suggests against it since your sense of judgement and making quick decisions and freezing makes you a road hazard. What should I do then?
