Exercise and Recovery

Exercise and Recovery

Theres often a common complaint held by people who have been through the NHS mental health system, myself included. When I was a mental health support worker, especially younger clients would tell me they feel invalidated and would say things like "I went to the doctor with suicidal thoughts and he told me to have a cup of tea and go for a walk". This seemed to be especially true of those than had been through the CAMS system. I remember being told similar things myself and it feels very unhelpful when you are in, or near a crisis situation. But that's not to say it's bad advice, just poorly communicated.

It's sounds ridiculous, especially when you're in a dark place, but for me at least, a small amount of exercise like walking and choosing to eat healthily has been the key to recovery. Really its about taking back control of your life. If you can start to control what you eat and stick to an exercise routine it can help you feel more grounded and in control. For me it's about small changes that add up to a whole new life. I'd start by going for walks and slowly building up the amount of exercise I was doing until I was doing full work outs. This would in turn motivate me to start eating healthier food. I only have to do this a few weeks and I'll start to notice improvements in my fitness and appearance. This motivates me further to continue to see improvements. Once I'm feeling better about myself physically I have more confidence and I make huge strides forwards in my mental health. Its starts by gaining control of one small aspect of your life, and then can snowball into a rapid recovery.

Personally when I'm eating healthy and getting enough exercise my mind is clearer and I feel a lot more positive about my life in general. When I stop eating healthy foods I rapidly lose motivation and then other aspects of my life crumble. My mind becomes clouded and negative and i can't see a way out of my situation.

I'm not saying diet and exercise will cure your mental health problems, but it'll make it easier to live with and help you gain conscious control of your life. It's easy to fall out of a routine and start slipping backwards, so it's also about consistency. I'm currently battling through the second big recovery of my life and walking, going to the gym and healthy eating is at the centre of it. My first recovery faltered when I let myself be dragged away from my routine by a bad relationship. You need to keep showing up for yourself regardless of other people.

When your life is out of control it can feel like you need "saving" by others, but only you can save yourself. Others can help you find the tools, but you have to dig yourself out of the hole. It'll feel like it's not possible whilst you're doing it, but the feeling you get when you're out is incredible. You might one day fall back in like I did, but now you know where the tools are to start digging your way out. It's never too late to start.

Or you know, have you tried having a cup of tea and going for a walk?