MHAW 2018 Walk

A beautiful May day, 8 intrepid walkers, & a slightly naughty dog named Willow meet at Cannock Leisure Centre (our badz base) to drag our ageing carcases - carcii? - up on to Cannock Chase. Actually, Rob & Linda drove up to Marquis Drive, Birches Valley, &, I believe, to Rugeley town centre to get their 5 miles in... the rest of us engaged in carcass-dragging!

Shaun was a tad grumpy - he got up late & didn't have his Ready Brek - so he tended to take point & not say a lot... to anyone... even the doggie! We gave him some water, & offered him a hat.

Neil was very happy to baby-sit Willow; especially at those times when Willow's daddy Jason, gamer & flat-cap fan, was being massively disrespectful about the behaviours & capacities of Labrador puppies. Rob S looked at the dog - quite often!  

I will think of this as our Three Towers Walk. Rhys had oddly poor mobile reception as we rested barely 50 yards from the Pye Green BT Tower.

We did our 6 miles or so, meeting Linda & Rob at the Visitor Centre; Rob was surprisingly quiet, having been run-ragged for many more miles than his comfort-zone contains. Terry had one of his minions chauffeur lunch to Marquis Drive, & we sat in the sun scarfing butties, crisps, & Club biscuits. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed having got out, active, & tired... & while I ain't too sure we did much to help counter Stress at a community level (although we did hand out a few Managing Stress booklets), when it came to managing our own, we were all effective on this day.

Take a tip from the Badly Dressed Badminton Club, & the NHS, it's hard to beat walking for health... give it a go!  

Mental Health Awareness Week 2018

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation 2018's Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on stress. Stress underpins much of the psychological & emotional upset & distress we experience in our lives; recognising & managing stress more effectively helps us to tackle difficulties like anxiety, depression, even perhaps self-harmful behaviours & suicidal ideation.

MHF undertook an online poll of 4,619 respondents - largest UK study of stress levels. In the previous year, 74% felt so stressed as to be overwhelmed or unable to cope

AGE: 
30% of older people reported not having felt overwhelmed or unable to cope, as opposed to only 7% of young adults

BEHAVIOUR:
in response to stress... 
46% reported eating too much &/or unhealthily
29% started or increased drinking alcohol
16% started or increased smoking

PSYCHOLOGICAL: 
of adults who felt stressed in the previous year...
51% reported feeling depressed; 61% felt anxious
16% self-harmed; 32% had suicidal thoughts & feelings
37% suffered loneliness

CAUSES:
of adults who reported feeling stressed in the previous year...
36% cited own or friend/relative's long-term illness; 44% in over-55s
22% cited debt
12% cited feeling as if they had to respond to messages instantly
49% of 18-24yr olds cited comparing self to others
36% of women cited appearance & body image; 23% in men
32% 18-24yr olds cited housing; 22% in 25-34yr olds, & only 7% in over-55s
60% 18-24yr olds cited pressure to succeed; 41% in 25-34yr olds, 17% in 45-54yr olds, & only 6% over-55s

Information & guidance on stress & it's management are readily available online; well worth a look are... 

Mental Health Foundation Stress campaign page

Mind's Mental Health Awareness Week page

NHS Moodzone

Samaritans DEAL resources - especially Coping Strategies