By Leigh Pouse, WWT Blue Prescribing Participant
Please note: some readers may find the following content themes of mental health issues distressing.
"There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and
repose of nature." - Henry David Thoreau
In 2020, I was fortunate to participate in a trial for a nature-based programme for people experiencing poor mental health, the Blue Prescribing Project.
The trial ran at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, an area of protected wetlands in Gloucestershire that isn't too far away from where I currently live. The idea was simple: Can being in nature, walking around and interacting with wildlife have a positive effect on people with mental health issues?
Slimbridge looking lovely in Spring
At the time of the trial, I had been going through PTSD therapy for various issues in my life and it has been a rollercoaster of emotions, panic attacks, nightmares and more. So, this opportunity came at a pretty good time to test the premise.
The programme ran for six weeks and each and every week was brilliant. It really gave me something to look forward to and being around the wildlife was really calming. Throughout the programme we were shown around the whole reserve, from the opening ponds where most of the birds gathered to the beautifully serene banks of the River Severn.
One of the best things was that it took place in the spring, so I got to spend time getting to enjoy these little guys' company. It was a truly great experience to come back every week and see the chicks grow from tiny to slightly less tiny.
Quick Fact: You can't be sad while looking at these little guys
The staff that walked around with us were great. Their enthusiasm for their jobs was so contagious. Listening to someone describe how they help ring the ducks with a smile on their face is a joy to behold, let alone be around and be part of. They were always friendly, happy to answer questions, never rushed anyone beyond their capability and never patronising.
Insomnia is something I have lived with for a while, sometimes getting to bed as late as 6.30am, so I regularly find myself awake for the dawn chorus (birds singing when the sun comes up)which any bird lover would be delighted to hear.
I wasn鈥檛 having the same reaction to the dawn chorus as most people
I wasn’t having the same reaction to the dawn chorus as most people[/caption] Unfortunately, after a decade of insomnia I now associate the dawn chorus with a feeling of remorse, that for yet another night I was wasting my life sitting alone in the dark. I only really leave the house for shopping and doctors appointments sadly, so I think it's fair to say that over the last decade I have lost that connection to nature and that alone is depressing to think about.
Something I can definitely say about Slimbridge and to the wonderful people that worked there, you gave me that connection back. Even if it was only for one day a week, I was actually waking up and looking forward to go outside. I was coming back with a smile on my face and not feeling terrible 24 hours a day. I had a reason to get up and learn new things that weren’t "how likely is my next health issue to ruin me this week?".
Working with these guys was clearly a joyous privilege
The best way someone described the experience was: "It's like having a three-hour holiday every week where you don't have to think about the real world".
That statement is so spot on. For that one period every week it wasn't so much that you didn't have to think about your issues, but they didn't consume you. For giving me that experience, that relief of not having to exist in a negative state, I cannot thank them enough and I hope this programme (and hopefully others like it) can continue to give people that three-hour holiday so many people need.
I stood here for about 10 minutes, just breathing in and out. It was amazing!
Find out more about theon WWT’s website.