Here are my thoughts on how motorcycling & driving have helped me to maintain my mental health through a difficult time.
If you are experiencing difficulties with your mental health, here are a list of organisations which can help:
If you need help during a mental health crisis or emergency, NHS urgent mental health helplines can help:
Anxiety UK
Charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition.
Phone: 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm)
Website: www.anxietyuk.org.uk
Bipolar UK
A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder.
Website: www.bipolaruk.org.uk
CALM
CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably. A charity providing a mental health helpline and webchat.
Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight)
Website: www.thecalmzone.net
Men’s Health Forum
24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email.
Website: www.menshealthforum.org.uk
Mental Health Foundation
Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
Website: www.mentalhealth.org.uk
Mind
Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems.
Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)
Website: www.mind.org.uk
No Panic
Voluntary charity offering support for sufferers of panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Offers a course to help overcome your phobia or OCD.
Phone: 0300 772 9844 (daily, 10am to 10pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s Access Charge
Website: www.nopanic.org.uk
Email: sarah@nopanic.org.uk
OCD Action
Support for people with OCD. Includes information on treatment and online resources.
Phone: 0845 390 6232 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s Access Charge
Website: www.ocdaction.org.uk
OCD UK
A charity run by people with OCD, for people with OCD. Includes facts, news and treatments.
Phone: 0333 212 7890 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Website: www.ocduk.org
PAPYRUS
Young suicide prevention society.
Phone: HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (9am to midnight, every day of the year)
Website: www.papyrus-uk.org
Rethink Mental Illness
Support and advice for people living with mental illness.
Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
Website: www.rethink.org
Samaritans
Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair.
Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline)
Website: www.samaritans.org.uk
SANE
Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers.
Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most: www.sane.org.uk/textcare
Peer support forum: www.sane.org.uk/supportforum
Website: www.sane.org.uk/support
YoungMinds
Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals.
Phone: Parents’ helpline 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
Website: www.youngminds.org.uk
Alcohol misuse
Alcoholics Anonymous
A free self-help group. Its “12 step” programme involves getting sober with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups.
Phone: 0800 917 7650 (24-hour helpline)
Website: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
Al-Anon
Al-Anon is a free self-help “12 step” group for anyone whose life is or has been affected by someone else’s drinking
Phone: 0800 0086 811 (daily, 10am to 10pm)
Website:
Drinkline
A free confidential helpline for people worried about their own or someone else’s drinking.
Phone: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm)
National Association for Children of Alcoholics
National Association for Children of Alcoholics offers free confidential advice and information to everyone affected by a parent’s drinking including children, adults and professionals.
Phone: 0800 358 3456 (Friday, Saturday and Monday 12pm to 7pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12pm to 9pm)
Website:
SMART Recovery UK
SMART Recovery UK face-to-face and online groups help people decide whether they have a problem with alcohol and drugs, build up their motivation to change, and offer a set of proven tools and techniques to support recovery.
Phone: 0330 053 6022 for general enquiries about SMART Recovery UK (9am to 5pm, Monday-Friday)
Website:
Bereavement
Cruse Bereavement Care
Phone: 0808 808 1677 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Website: www.cruse.org.uk
Likes: 148
Views: 1452
Sorry to hear about your Dad's passing, but like mine, I'm sure he's with you on every ride!
I'm new to your channel and I'm curious why you chose the name Reg Local?
Sorry to hear about your Dad Reg, lost my mother in law last year to cancer too. I agree with everything you said… getting out in the car is a vital relief for me too
My condolences Reg. Sorry to hear about your sad news. I wanted to say thank you for your safe driving tips. I started watching about two years ago when I was taxi driving. After over 30 years driving, Your videos has helped make my driving safer, calmer and much more enjoyable. Best wishes to you.
Sorry for your loss Reg, thanks for the video and for sharing your thoughts.
Sending you & your family every good wish Reg and I agree wholeheartedly with your sentiments. I think that driving or riding with flow and concentration can bring a sense of calmness that comes from a sense of being focused and in control when other areas of life are challenging. I’m looking forward to rebooking a drive with you when the regulations allow. I hope the positive messages from your fans here and on other other media bring you a sense of comfort and that you are both valued and appreciated.
Morning Reg. Sorry to hear about your dad, god bless him. Came across your channel recently and enjoying it. Take care and look after yourself. Mark
Sorry for your loss Reg, very sad to hear that. The pandemic only exacerbates people abilities to cope with such loss, but glad you've found some relief in your passions, which you shared with your Dad. It takes more courage than people realise to share with others, but hopefully that has also brought some comfort. Take care. Chad
I liked the video. I think the succinct message is that riding is meditation; and meditation can be medicine.
Riding/driving. Car, moped, scooter, motorbike, bicycle. Other activities can achieve the same thing. For example running, photography, painting, cooking. Basically any activity that makes you concentrate quite hard on it and that focuses the mind so it doesn't wander about (not what works for the person next to you, but works for **you**). Doing jigsaws or learning ten new words each day from a random foreign language by midday (forces you to get up earlier to give yourself time). Meditation does not have to be sitting super still in a chair, eyes closed, and repeating a phrase or sound over and over (i.e., Mantra). It's just finding something you enjoy doing (or just can do for now) that requires significant attention that you have to be engrossed in it. This causes most or all of the other things in your life to be pushed out of the way and de-emphasized for a period.
Nice video, thank you for sharing! See you around! 🎧🎵😎