sportingheads

The founders of Dorset initiative Resurface share how surfing is supporting young adults through a peer support community

The founder of Mental Health Swims discusses her own mental health challenges, the power of a supportive community and how she found relief in the cold water

I always thought my mental health issues were chemical as they have been there since I was young. But every time I dance, I can literally feel a changing sensation inside my brain. It’s hard to describe but It’s uplifting.

The road to Wyoming began in luminescent lecture theatres and dingy seminar rooms, where awkward silences were absorbed by drab wallpaper. In my final year at university I recognised how important exercise was for me

Running on my own boosted my mental and physical well-being enormously. Running within a supportive community took it to the next level and parkrun gave me both

We meet the students who are using cold water dips to grow awareness, funds and communities all for better mental health

Despite the sore legs and tired muscles, my passion for running grew and it became my rush. The release that I had once found in alcohol and drugs, was now clean, pure and in my control. 

We discuss hyperactivity, Olympics, depression and the impact of movement on mental health with one of the most successful divers this country has ever produced

It took a lot of perseverance to learn how to manage my mental illness. I was eventually able to start by leaving the house alone, start jogging, then hiking in the Lake District and eventually summiting Kilimanjaro in 2009.

When I’m out pounding the pavements, I don’t have to worry about anything else in my life. It’s become my relief, my refuge and my replacement for booze.