Mental Health and Boating

[MarkAdrian]

Dear all, I was sorry to see a previous thread close that drifted in to a discussion of Mental Health Related issues. (tho the reasons for its closure were very correct).

 

I feel the subject, Mental Health, is worthy of a fuller discussion. I would hope however that it does not degrade to name calling or relate to any individual's circumstances, and would ask the Moderators to monitor its content.

 

Although I have never been diagnosed with any formal mental health issue, I like so many on this forum have to acknowledge the sense of well being that boat owership and cruising the system has given me. Indeed, I would suggest that some people are drawn or recommended to boat ownership as a form of de,stressing or self medication.

 

The term, "getting out of the rat race" is often heard. Obviously there are people who have opted out of society and "hermitized" themselves canal side. However it is not these folk that I see as central to the discussion,,,,

 

But would like to ask fellow members how they feel the canal lifestyle has helped them. Hopefully this thread will then become yet another resource on which members can draw. (so lets be sensible with this one guys).

[fuzzyduck]

Hi, I'm Fuzzyduck, and I'm a mentalist

 

Throughout my life I have had several periods of debilitating depression. the 2 before last (approx 91 and 97) culminated in suicide attempts (I will not debate the cry for help / serious attempt issue mostly as I don't know)

 

Several years ago now (2002) I was seriously assaulted in the area in which I lived (the police were talking about attempted murder charges, as those concerned used my head as a football). the ensuing depression episode and panic attacks etc when out of the house at night forced me to move from my then city centre house to where I currently live.

 

in all it took me It took me nearly 6 months to physically recover, and nearly a year to recover emotionally, however recover I did. it was just after this that Nicky announced that she felt we should get a boat. and I didn't give her time to reconsider.

 

Whilst I am not suffering from depression, I still have awful down days (especially when given the past year) and I've found that the best therepy for me is a "trip down to the boat" even as I turn off the road, and walk down to the marina, I can feel all the tension leave my body, i feel free. I have always loved the water and boats, and sat in the cockpit of my own boat, with maybe with a beer or 3, I feel so much more at home and at peace than anywhere else.

Edited October 19, 2007 by fuzzyduck

[charles123]

Dear all, I was sorry to see a previous thread close that drifted in to a discussion of Mental Health Related issues. (tho the reasons for its closure were very correct).

 

I feel the subject, Mental Health, is worthy of a fuller discussion. I would hope however that it does not degrade to name calling or relate to any individual's circumstances, and would ask the Moderators to monitor its content.

 

Although I have never been diagnosed with any formal mental health issue, I like so many on this forum have to acknowledge the sense of well being that boat owership and cruising the system has given me. Indeed, I would suggest that some people are drawn or recommended to boat ownership as a form of de,stressing or self medication.

 

The term, "getting out of the rat race" is often heard. Obviously there are people who have opted out of society and "hermitized" themselves canal side. However it is not these folk that I see as central to the discussion,,,,

 

But would like to ask fellow members how they feel the canal lifestyle has helped them. Hopefully this thread will then become yet another resource on which members can draw. (so lets be sensible with this one guys).

 

 

Firstly dont expect the site "crew" to do much moderating, there is very littlee effort from them to set or maintain standards on the board, in fact I wonder what their motivation is for them to be site crew in the first place

Secondly because if the first point I made the disruptive element of members will get away with anything they please and will if they desire sabotage your thread, fortunately they are in the minority. Sadly they suceeed in chasing away some exellent knowledable members of the board for which the board is poorer for the loss of

 

How has the canal lifestyle helped me? well it is a contrast to the stresses of my job which entails a lot of travelling on congested roads I therefore enjoy the pace of canal life, I feel refreshed and well postioned to re enter a 'busier world' after a weekend on the boat

 

Secondly I can find solitude if I wish on the waterways which again is a complete contrast to my day job surrounded by people and feel all the better for it

 

Charles

[Windjammer]

Firstly, congratulations on raising a sensible, interesting and fresh topic.

I guess the term mental health covers a wide range.

I believe that the experience of being in or on the water is a very calming activity.

I have long wondered whether this is because of our imprinting from the womb and/or because we are largely water ourselves.

 

The combination of being on the water, having a slow beating engine (mothers heartbeat associations) vibrating through our feet and moving slowly through the countyside on canal craft, all reinforce a positive calming influence.

 

Unfortunately, the total experience is slightly negated by conflict with some other canal users, but it is still up there in the top five of most relaxing pastimes.

 

 

 

Dear all, I was sorry to see a previous thread close that drifted in to a discussion of Mental Health Related issues. (tho the reasons for its closure were very correct).

 

I feel the subject, Mental Health, is worthy of a fuller discussion. I would hope however that it does not degrade to name calling or relate to any individual's circumstances, and would ask the Moderators to monitor its content.

 

Although I have never been diagnosed with any formal mental health issue, I like so many on this forum have to acknowledge the sense of well being that boat owership and cruising the system has given me. Indeed, I would suggest that some people are drawn or recommended to boat ownership as a form of de,stressing or self medication.

 

The term, "getting out of the rat race" is often heard. Obviously there are people who have opted out of society and "hermitized" themselves canal side. However it is not these folk that I see as central to the discussion,,,,

 

But would like to ask fellow members how they feel the canal lifestyle has helped them. Hopefully this thread will then become yet another resource on which members can draw. (so lets be sensible with this one guys).

[Moley]

but it is still up there in the top five of most relaxing pastimes.

 

Oh come on! You can't leave it there, what are the other 4?

 

Surely it has to be the most relaxing pastime. I have heard boating described as "the quickest way to slow down", and personally I find that as soon as we have cast off I can feel all pressures of life draining away almost immediately.

 

I don't think I have any particular mental issues (but would never consider myself to be quite 'normal'), but I can be moody and sullen and inclined to the occasional 'downers', so I guess there must be some therapeutic attraction.

Edited October 19, 2007 by Moley

[Windjammer]

One is eating chocolate, one is sitting out on a sunny day, one is flying over snow capped mountains on a cloudless day - the last one is sitting in your socks and underpants and surfing forums.

[Henhouse]

Whilst I do not own a boat, although I hope to one day. I spend many happy hours along the towpath. Either on foot, or cycling courteously.

 

Two reasons.

 

Firstly I became interested because of the discovery of family connections in the 1800's. I am also interested in industrial heritage.

 

Secondly, to echo others sentiments, I find it somewhere where I am totally at peace and relaxed.

[Mrs Panda]

Me, as soon as I am on the boat I feel at home and at peace with the world. I also have a busy job with some stress and I count down the days to when I am able to go to the boat and it makes me feel better. It may sound silly I know .....

 

We also took some friends a few years back (Husband and wife) for the first time on the boat for a weekend, and as soon as he got on the boat he became different person. His wife said to me that she had never seen her hubbie relax so quickly. It normally took him half a weeks holiday to relax and on the boat he was relaxed within minutes!!!!!! She was amazed and so pleased as he has a heart complaint and relaxing is what he needed to do. Boating is theraputic.

 

Mrs P

[purplehaze]

I think its all about the pace of life on the canals, 4mph (or less most of the time), no phone, well ok most of us have mobiles but there not usually work related, my mob no has never been given to anyone at work, no way!! For me no email, as I only boat for holidays I leave the laptop at home, which is brilliant. Eveything is just so much calmer and feels great, a real sense of escape and freedom.

 

This is of course from the view point of using a hire boat not a live a board but some things must be the same, small space, quicker to clean than a 3 bed semi (although I appreciate very difficult to minimise 'stuff' if you live a board) fantastic scenery, most of the time, never sure where you will moor and what you will see, watching the wildlife. This year we really enjoyed watching the buzzards soaring on the thermals as we jugged along the llangollen.

 

I agree with other posts as soon as I get on the boat I feel great, one day, especially if we win the lotto!!, we aim to have our own boat

Julie

[Christine]

Nothing, but nothing has quite such an affect upon me as my annual week on the water. Every time we get back to the hire base and walk back into the real world, tears of uncontrolled emotion just stream down my face.

 

I am very fortunate that I don't have any mental health issues - get pretty stressed on occasions - but there is something very, very, precious about the waterways and thankfully they give solace to many troubled folks.

 

Shame I always pick 'em to moor next too tho'

 

Edited incase the pedant police are about.

Edited October 19, 2007 by Christine

[purplehaze]

With me it started with one week a year, now it is a short break in May plus one week, sometimes 10 days, in September, who knows what will happen in the future? How I wish we could afford a 6 week trip.

Julie

[AMModels]

I started on the canals at 6 weeks old and I was on boats pretty constantly for the next 18 years, now I dont know if it is related but since then I have been restricted to high days and holidays since then with even less more recently and my mental health in that period has got steadily worse and worse.

For me the smell of water rushing through a paddle when locking and the smell of a diesel engine or a coal fire is so relaxing and symptomatic of canals that cant help but wonder if they arent related to my downturn.

 

What an excellent topic to start, but what I find sad is that only the second person to reply feels the need to 'knock' other members and also the admin team if something needs to be said about behaviour then at least wait until there is a problem.

[Theo]

Firstly dont expect the site "crew" to do much moderating, there is very littlee effort from them to set or maintain standards on the board, in fact I wonder what their motivation is for them to be site crew in the first place

Secondly because if the first point I made the disruptive element of members will get away with anything they please and will if they desire sabotage your thread, fortunately they are in the minority. Sadly they suceeed in chasing away some exellent knowledable members of the board for which the board is poorer for the loss of

 

How has the canal lifestyle helped me? well it is a contrast to the stresses of my job which entails a lot of travelling on congested roads I therefore enjoy the pace of canal life, I feel refreshed and well postioned to re enter a 'busier world' after a weekend on the boat

 

Secondly I can find solitude if I wish on the waterways which again is a complete contrast to my day job surrounded by people and feel all the better for it

 

Charles

 

I would protest that we in the exalted ranks of the Site Crew number fewer than the fingers of your left hand and cannot possibly read all of the posts. We rely on you all to draw our attention to problems. Then we have to tread the oh so fine line between nannying and permissiveness and we find that different members of the forum have very different levels of sensitivity.

 

Sorry that this is but I had to protest

 

Nick

[purplehaze]

I agree, if anyone here has any mental health problems, either personal or a family member/friend, it is no laughing matter, I get really cross with silly comments about mental health issues, they are real, why can't your brain be ill? Just the same as your heart/liver/kidneys etc. My sister has major problems and our family is very supportive. Stephen Fry is really intelligent but also suffers major problems, also Spike Milligan, Goones etc, very intelligent but also suffering major mental probs.

Julie

 

PS Plus Tony Hancock

[denkirk]

While I'm no expert on mental health issues one of the most important elements of boating for me is one of control. For much of our day to day life we are controlled in some way or other, not in an Orwellian way but just in the demands of work/life balance. Boaters however have much more control, if our neighbours are noisy we start the motor and moor somewhere else, if we find our need is for isolation we can motor somewhere where we can be alone as we can motor somewhere to be among others if that's what we need. It's not always the fact that we may exercise that ability to adjust our surroundings as I've described, it's the fact that deep down we know we can, when for many of our day to day demands we have no choice.

 

I hope I'm making sense, I know what I mean but I wonder if I'm quite right in my answer? The ability to choose puts us in control of those external pressures that can wear us down, and that is something that satisfies the need for independance that is often missing these days from our lives.

 

Also the feeling of being close to nature probably feeds something within ourselves that turns the clock back to our past, we live in a world where the impetus of change is just to fast, and we as a people can't keep up, but by being closer to nature we are involved once again in the natural cycle which is our real speed, not the man made speed that's forced onto us by the lives we have to lead.

 

I've probably not made sense nor made any statement that holds up scientifically, but it's just my attempt to express my feelings and as such I ask your kindness when reading it, I've no training in these matters nor any axe to grind, but that's the beauty of boating, we have the freedom to be different as we are different by default!

 

Denis.

[fuzzyduck]

Actually, that's a great post, and made a lot of sense to me.

 

quick edit.

 

And you'd be suprised just how much of what you said is backed up by modern Psychology.

Edited October 19, 2007 by fuzzyduck

[MarkAdrian]

Makes good sense to me as well. My son has a degree of OCD, He has to have his room in a set order, no piles of heaped clothing to be found in his room, all neatly folded and put away. Now at first sight OCD and the canal sytem may seem to be at odds for his symptomology. However, the fact that a lock has to be done in a set order, pass on the right, slowdown passsed moored boats etc, gives him a relief from his symptoms since it provides a structure for him to follow.

 

As I previously posted, I have no formal mental health history, however I would guess that my personality type is prone to bi-polar disorder,,,, but never when Im on the boat.

 

Great Comments guys keep it going.

[fuzzyduck]

As I previously posted, I have no formal mental health history,

 

You must have, you own a boat.

[Chris J W]

On the whole, I would say it's definitely helped eased my depression. However, the recent problems with my arm after my accident and the fact that I'm doing this single handed (excuse the pun) I can get those awful down times.

 

But then I just either go for a long walk with my camera, find a nice pub and read a good book, or log on here and try and think of something funny for "The HBF" to come out with! Normally brings me back to life.

[morrisminor]

My eldest son { 17 } is in the middle of a mental health crisis as we speak, drug induced pychosis, stupid boy, he has spent time in our local psychiatric hospital, sectioned under the mental health act.

 

I assumed this would be a place of safety and sanctuary for ill and vulnerable people, how wrong I was, he was assaulted and robbed on his second day with nothing being done by the staff because they didn`t want to upset the git that done it, most of the poor souls in there had no visitors as far as I could see and it was only my constant presence and harangueing that secured his early release.

 

I`m sure some people are helped in there but in my sons case it did more harm than good and he had no chance of recovery while in there.

 

The point of all this is that about the only thing that he`s looking forward to is our holiday in two weeks time on the Llangollen, should do the world of good.

[Moley]

While I'm no expert on mental health issues one of the most important elements of boating for me is one of control. For much of our day to day life we are controlled in some way or other, not in an Orwellian way but just in the demands of work/life balance. Boaters however have much more control, if our neighbours are noisy we start the motor and moor somewhere else, if we find our need is for isolation we can motor somewhere where we can be alone as we can motor somewhere to be among others if that's what we need. It's not always the fact that we may exercise that ability to adjust our surroundings as I've described, it's the fact that deep down we know we can, when for many of our day to day demands we have no choice.

 

I hope I'm making sense, I know what I mean but I wonder if I'm quite right in my answer? The ability to choose puts us in control of those external pressures that can wear us down, and that is something that satisfies the need for independance that is often missing these days from our lives.

 

Also the feeling of being close to nature probably feeds something within ourselves that turns the clock back to our past, we live in a world where the impetus of change is just to fast, and we as a people can't keep up, but by being closer to nature we are involved once again in the natural cycle which is our real speed, not the man made speed that's forced onto us by the lives we have to lead.

 

I've probably not made sense nor made any statement that holds up scientifically, but it's just my attempt to express my feelings and as such I ask your kindness when reading it, I've no training in these matters nor any axe to grind, but that's the beauty of boating, we have the freedom to be different as we are different by default!

 

Denis.

 

Not made sense?

 

Well reasoned. Well written.

That's a post which merits printing out and framing.

[Windjammer]

You might be intested in a facinating book called "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Practical, tried-and-tested strategies to overcome OCD" by Prof Frederick Toates ISBN 1-85959-069-1.

The author is an OCD sufferer as well as a Professor of Psychology and has learnt to manage the condition. It also reflects in the book how his wife and family have learnt to support him as well.

Its full of hints and tips and things you might like to try - its a very practical book - not an academic tome.

 

 

Makes good sense to me as well. My son has a degree of OCD, He has to have his room in a set order, no piles of heaped clothing to be found in his room, all neatly folded and put away. Now at first sight OCD and the canal sytem may seem to be at odds for his symptomology. However, the fact that a lock has to be done in a set order, pass on the right, slowdown passsed moored boats etc, gives him a relief from his symptoms since it provides a structure for him to follow.

 

As I previously posted, I have no formal mental health history, however I would guess that my personality type is prone to bi-polar disorder,,,, but never when Im on the boat.

 

Great Comments guys keep it going.

[bottle]

Thank you

 

To all that have posted with their stories, I now realise that I am not the only one that has/had a 'problem', it can feel lonely.

 

I will not relate mine as it would be boring, just to say that we planned to retire to the waterways when we were old enough a long time before my illness started.

 

Through the illness I have had to take early retirement, now that, in hindsight is the best thing that has happened, so will be boating earlier than planned.

 

I do not know if I am 'better' I just know that whenever I am on or near a canal I am more at peace with myself and the rest of the world.

 

I know this may sound 'yuck' but I would like to thank, publicly, my wife because without her I would not be here today.

[zenataomm]

My eldest son { 17 } is in the middle of a mental health crisis as we speak, drug induced pychosis, stupid boy, he has spent time in our local psychiatric hospital, sectioned under the mental health act.

 

I assumed this would be a place of safety and sanctuary for ill and vulnerable people, how wrong I was, he was assaulted and robbed on his second day with nothing being done by the staff because they didn`t want to upset the git that done it, most of the poor souls in there had no visitors as far as I could see and it was only my constant presence and harangueing that secured his early release.

 

I`m sure some people are helped in there but in my sons case it did more harm than good and he had no chance of recovery while in there.

 

The point of all this is that about the only thing that he`s looking forward to is our holiday in two weeks time on the Llangollen, should do the world of good.

 

 

As I have already commented in previous threads, I am manic depressive (I don't like the term Bi-Polar as it is a disorder, and I am just me!) When I first was put on ward following attempted suicides (no cries for help, I told no one for three months) I was surrounded by psychotic people abusing narcotics and was more upset by that than anything else.

However seven years later and I now work for a charity that supports mental health service users and am more educated in these matters. There is a line of thought that says substance users may have a mental health issue beforehand but because the system hasn't scooped them up they self medicate with what is available in order to relieve the paranoia, voices, depression etc etc etc.

Just a thought, I'm not saying it is always the case.

 

It's horrifying to hear that someone can be sectioned and then find themselves in a less protective environment than before. Secure wards are not necessarily the sanctuary we would all expect .... nay demand! Under these circumstances everyone should remember the following: -

Do you and your son know who is named nurse is? {responsible for day to day status and contactability, should be personally aware of their patients issues}

Ask who the Director of Accute Care services is (chances are he/she has an office near the unit){The Big Cheese where the buck stops}

Your son should have access to an advocate who's job it is to listen and speak on his behalf {Independant with no axe to grind either way}

Ask what organisations in your area support service users (could be MIND) {Usually staffed by mental health service users in recovery, so they know the system and are passionate about its short comings}

 

By involving the above (I know you shouldn't have to, but welcome to the world of mental health) you can start to name and shame those who want a good pension and an easy life.

Now that he's out ........... does he have a CPN (community psychiatric nurse)? But most importantly a CARE PLAN. If not, start getting rude. As like most things in life it's the noisy machinery that gets the oil, so start rumbling your bearings a bit.

 

Good Luck and god bless everyone said Tiny Tim

(Dickens had a few problems of his own as well!)

 

zenataomm

 

Edited because I cocked up the word "educated" isn't that wonderful?

Edited October 20, 2007 by zenataomm

[Guest]

Thank you

 

To all that have posted with their stories, I now realise that I am not the only one that has/had a 'problem', it can feel lonely.

 

I will not relate mine as it would be boring, just to say that we planned to retire to the waterways when we were old enough a long time before my illness started.

 

Through the illness I have had to take early retirement, now that, in hindsight is the best thing that has happened, so will be boating earlier than planned.

 

I do not know if I am 'better' I just know that whenever I am on or near a canal I am more at peace with myself and the rest of the world.

 

I know this may sound 'yuck' but I would like to thank, publicly, my wife because without her I would not be here today.

It doesn't sound yuk. Well done for having the balls to say it.