Surf Therapy: How Surfing Helped Me Heal from Psychosis

Hello BreakAway Community –

Thank you for being here and reading another one of my blog posts. This one’s deeply personal and very close to my heart. It’s about a chapter of my life that completely changed everything — and, believe it or not, for the better.

I’m proud to say I’m a lived-experience survivor of a first episode psychosis. And honestly? It was the best thing that ever happened to me. It shaped me into the person I am today and taught me immense emotional control, patience, and perspective.

The Picture That Says It All

The picture at the top was taken on my 21st birthday, during a time when I was still very much in that state of psychosis. My friends and family were scared and worried, but they still laughed and smiled to make me feel special that day.

What Is Psychosis?

Now, before you jump to conclusions or let assumptions take over, let me explain what psychosis actually is.

Psychosis is a mental health condition where your perception of reality shifts. It might involve hallucinations, delusions, or disorganised thinking.

For me, it felt like being stuck between two worlds — reality and illusion — and not being able to tell which one was real. It was disorienting, terrifying, and incredibly lonely.

The Turning Point: Finding Surfing

But a significant part of my recovery — the real source of light — was surfing.

During the long, heavy phase of depression that followed psychosis, I discovered something that gave me peace: the ocean.

Surfing became more than just a sport or hobby — it was therapy.

It gave me something to look forward to, something grounding.

When I was in the water, I wasn’t thinking about the pain. I was just a person, present, connected to the moment and to the waves.

Mental Health Benefits of Surfing (From My Experience)

Mindfulness: Surfing forces you into the now. Every wave requires your full attention, and there's no room for anxious spirals.
Movement: The physicality of surfing helped me reconnect with my body, release energy, and boost my mood naturally.
Community: Even in silence, sitting on boards beside strangers, there’s a shared understanding. You feel less alone.
Nature Connection: The ocean humbles you. It reminds you how small you are — and how resilient.

The Birth of BreakAway Surf

Once I was well enough to travel on my own, I went on a surf trip with friends to Morocco. That trip changed everything.

The waves, the people, the sunsets — it gave birth to something new: the idea for BreakAway Surf.

BreakAway isn’t just a surf community or brand.

It’s a tribute to that journey.

To survival.

To healing.

To creating something beautiful from struggle.

A Message to Anyone Struggling

So if you’re going through something — whether it’s psychosis, anxiety, depression, or something you can’t even put into words — know this: there is hope.

You’re not broken. And sometimes, healing starts with something as simple as saltwater and a board.

Thanks for reading, and if any part of this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your story.

Let’s break the stigma around mental health and normalize sharing lived experiences that can potentially help others with their mental health journey.

Stay kind, stay curious,

Ahmed Khan (A.K.A. Surf Akhi) 🏄‍♂️🌊