Walk off a Worry

Hello @Wardy Welcome to the forums.

I know there are quite a few walkers who post in the Lived Experience Forum, and as I get to know more posters .. find some are actually very active.

We have had a few other threads on this topic, where I posted about a range of the physical things I have done.

I have been mildy to moderately active all my life ... was a sports captain one year at school. I see myself as an all-rounder ... tho def not an athlete any more.

I am sorry but there is a tone in your post that I find a little presumptuous.As if people with mental illness are physically lazy and their concerns trivial. You may have experienced a person like that. I do not know, however you could have presented this question in a less confrontational manner by not addressing the reader as "you" and being a little more general in your comments.

I stopped power walking regularly about 5 years ago as I thought I was setting myself up for hip replacements earlier than necessary .. tho still like a bit of bush walking.

I have always wanted someone to go walking with .. and found it difficult to find a reular partner. As some people are too fast and others are too slow ... maybe one day I will find one that is JUST RIGHT.

Hi @Wardy

Welcome to the Forums! You ask an interesting question. I’m not sure if mental health has been overcomplicated but it is being talked about and I think that’s definitely a good thing. After many years of mental illness being ignored, if bringing it into the public eye means it’s been overcomplicated on some level, I think that’s a small price to pay.

I also think it’s just as important that mental illness isn’t oversimplified. While I’m sure some worries can be walked off, there are times where a walk or change of scenery just isn’t going to cut it. That might be where you need someone to walk alongside, or perhaps medication to get you to a point where walking it off can be more effective.

I guess the aim of the mental health profession and anyone seeking to improve their mental health is to make peoples lives better – whether that can be done with a change of scene or mindset, with medication to manage symptoms or with therapy to develop new coping mechanisms, or a combination of all those things.

Do you think what you see as overcomplicating could be a step along the way to developing an effective approach to mental illness in our society?