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
My sincere condolences to you. All the best to you, and thank you for you honesty and compassion take care,
Sorry to hear about your Dad. Good video, thanks.
This is a lovely video. My thoughts go with you on the loss of your Dad and I look forward to learning some more about him. A popular modern expression is 'mindfulness' or as I view it, 'being in the moment'. I believe that motorcycling in particular has always promoted a need to have to be in the moment to survive. Riding to a high advanced level is to me an activity of total focus and concentration and as you say it puts one entirely in the moment. Anxiety about the future and sadness of the past are temporarily shut out. It's been my therapy for over 50 years. I'm ex police. I examine at advanced level (bike only, I'm not a 'car person'). Men generally find it difficult to accept their vulnerability. Police officers and perhaps motorcyclists also. I am also a counsellor who has worked with and experienced clinical depression. There is in my opinion a significant difference to that and a more general depression or low mood. The ability of motorcycling to lift clinical depression may be in question given the overwhelming nature of that particular beast. Looking forward to getting back out at it. I've even invested in a GoPro and intend to make a couple of guidance videos myself, in areas that I am particularly passionate about 🙂 Keep well fine fella and perhaps we'll catch up other than in a Zoom scenario.
Well said Reg, RIP your dad, mine too with lung cancer. Looking forward to seeing your dads old bike. keep safe!
I’m sorry to hear of your loss. It’s incredibly hard losing someone so close. I drive for pleasure as well as riding but I have to say cars don’t have the same therapeutic effect on mental health for me as getting out on 2 wheels does. I guess it might be the total concentration needed on the bike that I’d a part of it.
Oh and thank you for sharing something so personal. Us blokes need to talk about mental health and well-being so much more. Your stat was correct. More men die from suicide every day than anyone does from road traffic incidents. Kind of food for thought there.
Stay safe
Sorry to hear about the passing of your father it’s never easy when you love someone.
I really do like the way you said about riding or driving and putting matters to one side for a while.
Of course it’s not about forgetting it’s just about setting aside and getting breathing space back in your mind. I am thinking the new bike might be an old classic.
Stay safe
My condolences Reg ,
So sorry to hear of your loss. I’ve lost both my parents over the last few years and this Mother’s Day was the first that she wasn’t here for me or I for her. I feel this video was great therapy for you and also conveyed a wise message. Take care.
Thinking of you and sending my condolences. Tom
My condolences to you and your family Reg. A difficult time compounded by lockdown. Riding the bike for mental health is something I find very useful. Getting out riding really helps as you to say to 'clear the head'. I find that the structure and concentration of riding to the system really focuses you on something other than all the other thoughts that would otherwise be rushing around your head. Thanks for sharing, people find it difficult to talk about such subjects.