Tag: Mental Health Foundation

Scots take to nature to help improve mental wellbeing

WALKING in nature and embracing the outdoors are key to boosting wellbeing, says Scottish charity Paths for All on Mental Health Awareness Week.

Throughout the last year, most of the population turned to nature and the outdoors as a coping mechanism during the pandemic and Paths for All is urging the public to keep this up as restrictions ease.

Walking in nature is accessible and easy, with most Scots benefiting from stunning natural environments close to home – with our towns, cities and rural areas having access to brilliant paths, parks and coastlines.

It comes after this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week theme focuses on nature, which the charity believes can hugely benefit our physical health and mental wellbeing.

A report published by NatureScot found an increased proportion of the population reported health and wellbeing benefits from time spent outdoors connecting with nature during lockdown.

70% of respondents indicated that outdoor activities and engaging with nature between August -September 2020 helped them to de-stress, relax and unwind – up from 63% in March to May.

Picking litter on walks, enjoying watching and listening to birds, or spotting signs of spring such as bluebells appearing are all simple ways we can make a connection with nature.

Paths for All offers a wide range of online resources to help people understand how to connect and enjoy nature whilst offering a variety of ideas, activities and information designed to motivate people of all ages to get outdoors.

Frances Bain, Walking for Health Manager at Paths for All said: “Giving our body and mind a boost, especially after the past year, is so important and right now is the perfect time to do it.

“Not only is May National Walking Month, but we’re also really pleased to see that this week’s Mental Health Awareness Week has such a focus on the benefits of connecting with nature.

“Walking outdoors is a fantastic way to boost your mood, clear your head and benefit from fresh air in local parks and greenspaces.

“You can even take it a step further by really noticing nature when you’re out walking, such as listening to bird song, immersing yourself in a woodland walk or looking after nature by doing a spot of litter picking.

“The power of walking and the positive effects it can have on people’s wellbeing are endless and we believe that everyday walking is key to a healthier, happier Scotland.”

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week is running from 10-16 May 2021 with this year’s theme being nature.

The charity has a variety of podcasts available on most popular podcast players or its website, which have been designed to help people unwind while walking, by interacting with nature.  

A guided walking meditation track, Mind to Walk, is also free for people to listen to on their walks, narrated and presented by DJ Edith Bowman.

The 25-minute-long track acts as a guided meditation, helping listeners relax their minds and connect to their surroundings as they take a walk.

Paths for All believes regular walking is key to leading a happy and healthy life, and it’s even more important for people to continue enjoying safe walks where it is safe and appropriate to do so with the huge array of associated benefits.

Paths for All’s aim is to significantly increase the number of people who choose to walk in Scotland, whether it’s walking for leisure or walking to work, school or to the shops.

For more information on Paths for All, visit: https://www.pathsforall.org.uk

Mental Health Awareness Week

10th – 16th MAY

Why Nature is the theme for Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

In the first lockdown, I called an elderly friend (writes MARK ROWLAND, Chief Executive of Mental Health Foundation). She lives alone and had recently had a fall. Separated from her community, she had lost all in-person contact.

When I asked her how she had got through it, she told me it was taking daily comfort from watching the birds sing to each other on the fence and the flowers re-emerge from the frosts of winter.

During long months of the pandemic, millions of us turned to nature. Our research on the mental health impacts of the pandemic showed going for walks outside was one of our top coping strategies and 45% of us reported being in green spaces had been vital for our mental health.

Websites which showed footage from webcams of wildlife saw hits increase by over 2000%. Wider studies also found that during lockdowns, people not only spent more time in nature but were noticing it more.

It was as if we were re-discovering at our most fragile point our fundamental human need to connect with nature.

Nature and our mental health

Nature is so central to our psychological and emotional health, that it’s almost impossible to realise good mental health for all without a greater connection to the natural world.

For most of human history, we lived as part of nature. It is only in the last five generations that so many of us have lived and worked in a context that is largely separated from nature.

And it is only since a 1960s study in the US found that patients who were treated in hospitals with a view of nature recovered faster, that science has started to unpack the extraordinary health benefits.

During Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, we will pull together the evidence that demonstrates the powerful benefits of nature for our mental health. We will look at nature’s unique ability to not only bring consolation in times of stress, but also increase our creativity, empathy and a sense of wonder. 

It turns out that it is not just being in nature but how we open ourselves up and interact with nature that counts. 

We will show that even small contacts with nature can reduce feelings of social isolation and be effective in protecting our mental health, and preventing distress.

Nature is our great untapped resource for a mentally healthy future.

Despite this, many of us are not accessing or benefitting from nature. Teenagers in particular appear to be less connected with nature and around 13% of UK households have no access to a garden.

We want to challenge the disparities in who is and who isn’t able to experience nature. Nature is not a luxury. It is a resource that must be available for everyone to enjoy – as basic as having access to clean water or a safe roof over our heads.

Local and national governments need to consider their role in making this a reality for everyone, and we will be talking about how they can do so during the week.

What are the goals for the week?

We have two clear aims. Firstly, to inspire more people to connect with nature in new ways, noticing the impact that this connection can have for their mental health. Secondly, to convince decision makers at all levels that access to and quality of nature is a mental health and social justice issue as well as an environmental one.

2021 is going be a huge year for nature: a new Environment Bill will go through the UK Parliament which will shape the natural world for generations to come; the UK will host the G7 nations where creating a greener future will be a key priority and a historic international UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) will be hosted in Glasgow in November.

There could not be a more important time to understand the links between nature and mental health.

What you can do

Stories are the best tools we have to influence change. Unless we can demonstrate nature’s role in bringing solace and joy to our lives, it will remain under-valued and under-utilised.

We want to hear your stories of how nature has supported your mental health. This might be as a simple as tending to a house plant, listening to the birds, touching the bark of trees, smelling flowers or writing a poem about our favourite nature spot.

Whatever it is for you, we invite you to #ConnectWithNature and share what this means for you.

During Mental Health Awareness Week, we are asking you to do three things: 

  • Experience nature: take time to recognise and grow your connection with nature during the week. Take a moment to notice and celebrate nature in your daily life. You might be surprised by what you notice!
  • Share nature: Take a photo, video or sound recording and share the connections you’ve made during the week, to inspire others. Join the discussion on how you’re connecting with nature by using the hashtags #ConnectWithNature #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek
  • Talk about nature: use our tips, school packs, research and policy guides to discuss in your family, school, workplace and community how you can help encourage people to find new ways to connect with nature in your local environment.

For more information about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week visit mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw or join the conversation on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek 

Supporting Scotland’s mental health recovery

A new plan will help ensure mental health and wellbeing remains at the heart of the Scottish Government’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Children and young people, those facing redundancy, and people with long-term physical health conditions and disabilities are among key groups the plan focuses on.

It builds on innovations and new service designs that have emerged in response to the pandemic, such as the ‘Clear Your Head’ campaign, the expansion of digital services and the establishment of Mental Health Assessment Centres.

As well as promoting good mental health and wellbeing, the plan prioritises rapid and easily accessible support for those in distress and ensures safe, effective treatment and care of people living with mental illness. A tailored programme of work will help individual NHS Boards respond effectively to the anticipated increase in demand in the months ahead.

Announcing the plan to parliament, Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey said: “If the past few weeks have told us anything, it is that the road to recovery from this pandemic will not be linear. However, one thing that has remained constant is the importance of looking after ourselves, and of keeping well.

“I doubt there is a single one of us who hasn’t thought about our mental wellbeing, or worried about that of others, at some point during 2020.

“Throughout this year, mental health has continued to be an absolute priority for this government, and we’ve invested £6 million of dedicated funding to support the whole population.

“Our Transition and Recovery Plan for Mental Health reflects how fundamental this issue is. It is comprehensive, containing over a hundred actions, and focusses on the specific mental health needs of everyone across Scotland.”

Director of Scotland and Northern Ireland at the Mental Health Foundation, Lee Knifton, commented: “We are pleased to see the Scottish Government embark on a mental health in all policies agenda and to have played a role in shaping this plan.

“We have consistently advocated for all policies approach and today’s plan feels like a breakthrough moment. Mental health is much more than mental illness, it must be considered in our schools, workplaces, our welfare system and our justice system. This plan is an important step in that direction.  

“It is encouraging to see that the Scottish Government has taken our recommendations on board and we look forward to working in partnership to implement the commitments laid out. This ambitious plan will need investment to achieve maximum impact, but any investment in mental health will realise social, health and economic benefits down the line.” 

Mental Health – Scotland’s Transition and Recovery is available on the Scottish Government’s website.

https://clearyourhead.scot/ contains a variety of resources and tips to help people take care of their mental health and wellbeing.

For those who need more support the Scottish Government has expanded the NHS24 Mental Health Hub so that it is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and increased the capacity of the Breathing Space telephone helpline (0800 83 85 87) and web support service.

The Mental Health Foundation’s vision is good mental health for all. The Foundation works to prevent mental health problems and drive change towards a mentally healthy society for all, and support communities, families and individuals to lead mentally healthy lives with a particular focus on those at greatest risk.

The Foundation is the home of Mental Health Awareness Week