Nature for the Win

It's Mental Health Awareness week and this year's focus is on nature, which is especially important for me. I've suffered with low moods - what I believed to be on-and-off depression - for a long time, at least 20 years, alongside anxiety that I've had as long as I can remember.

Earlier this year I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder (Type 2) and it's been a bit of a revelation. I tried the medication the consultant prescribed, but it wasn't for me. My diagnosis coincided time-wise with us bringing home our new puppy in February, and the necessity to walk him a couple of times a day has forced me (and my family) out into nature both morning and evening.

This has had several effects.

Firstly, I've realised just how much of an effect exercise has on my moods, and my ability to self-regulate. Looking back, some of my periods of low or high mood have coincided with periods of less exercise. Secondly, I've remembered that I enjoy the feeling of having actually used my body as well as my brain throughout the course of the day, and thirdly - perhaps most importantly now that we're WFH full time - it acts as a buffer between 'family/home Sarah' and 'work Sarah'. Work starts when I get in from the morning walk, and ends immediately before I go out for the late afternoon walk and to collect my daughter from childcare. Finally, it gives me a little time to disappear into my own head and explore my feelings, emotions and try and look at them objectively - away from the triggers and stresses of domestic or work life. This is another tactic I'm trying, to manage the bipolar.

I enjoy walking outside (as opposed to exercising in general say, at a gym) so much that I've started going out for extra walks sans dog during the day now and then too, especially if I'm having a tough day - it serves to boost my endorphins and get me away from the computer and causes of stress for even just 15 minutes and I feel much more able to 'deal' when I get back in.

Add all of this to the joy of having a dog in the house again, and I'm feeling really quite good at present. I'm apprehensive about the world returning to 'normal' as quite frankly, it wasnt the best way of living if we're all being honest, but hopeful that I can make habits now, that will continue to assist me in my attempts to self-regulate and manage my bipolar.