How has gardening improved your life?

Hello everybody,

Iâ??m looking for anybody who has a story about how gardening has helped improve their lives.

Specifically, Iâ??d like to hear from anyone who has personal experience of mental health problems, and how gardening has benefited their mental health. Maybe it has helped you deal with depression or anxiety, gain in confidence, or rebuild a social life?

I work for the mental health charity Mind, which is involved in Englandâ??s first national anti-stigma and discrimination campaign called Time to Change. Research has shown that discrimination is best reduced through social contact and Time to Changeâ??s Get Moving project aims to organise mass participation events throughout the country where people with and without experience of mental distress can take part together.

Get Moving events are based around a physical activity as much research has pointed to the benefits exercise has on our mental as well as physical health, some research even suggests it can be as effective as medication. So, weâ??d like to hear from anyone who would be willing to share their story with Get Moving and help us raise the profile of our campaign.

Please email me at [email protected] if you would like to know more about Time to Change, Get Moving or how weâ??d like you to be involved. Thanks a lot!

 

Hi

There is a project in my neighbourhood where people with mental health problems work under supervision at an allotment plot. They grow their own veg, interact socially, and do some good old hard graft. As far as I'm concerned that has to be better than counselling or medication. Here is their website:

http://www.sagesheffield.org.uk/

From a personal perspective, I think the only thing that keeps me sane is my piece of land in the countryside, where I don't have the time or inclination to think about work, debts (which is ironic considering that when I'm there, the very land I'm standing on is the object of my biggest debt), or the awful rundown house I rent in Sheffield.

While I think it is a good idea to put forward the idea of taking to the garden as a means of therapy for someone suffering a mental illness, I would be wary about pushing the idea. Gardening does not always go to plan, especially for the inexperienced, and to see months of hard work amount to failure could be a bit too much for someone who is already in a fragile state of mind.