Why we all need a sporting chance
Saffron writes about how rediscovering sport and physical activity boosted her mental health, and why Mind’s new report could boost access for all.
I am not super sporty. But physical activity and sport have always been something fun that have given me space to think, an outlet for tension and anxiety, and allowed me to connect with others. Sport has made me feel like I'm part of something and given me a sense of belonging.
When I've been physically well enough to take part in sport, and been supported to do so, it's had such a positive impact on my mental health, and it’s been a big contributor to me staying well in the community. That's why I have so much hope for Mind’s safe and effective practice guidance on mental health provision for physical activity. If more services providing physical activities can support people with mental health issues, I think we'll see a lot more people getting involved, and benefiting.
When I was younger, I enjoyed dance - ballet, tap, and modern - as well as swimming lessons. However, as I got older, my differences in social communication and interaction, sensory issues, and other aspects of being autistic meant my mental health suffered, not only did I struggle to cope in dance lessons, but I developed an eating disorder and had to stop them while undergoing treatment.
"Afraid of being judged and scared to ask for more support, I avoided returning to any kind of physical activity."
For many years my eating issues and mental health took over my life, and I had numerous inpatient admissions. My problems became much more complex, and I was also diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Afraid of being judged and scared to ask for more support, I avoided returning to any kind of physical activity.
Skipping forward to my teenage years, a moment of serendipity led to me trying dance again. My mum bumped into an old friend, who, since moving into the area, had set up a little dance school! This friend had known me when I was very young, and when they had a coffee and catch up, my mum told her a bit about my experiences, my advocacy work for mental health, and my life in general.
She was very supportive and kind, and said she'd love to help me to get back into dance, if I wanted to. I met with her, and together we made a plan to help me feel comfortable, talking through my worries about other people and feeling lost or out of place. We also chatted about my sensory issues, and she was incredibly reassuring and accommodating. I found out she had knowledge of mental health issues and neurodiversity from her niece, and so it was easy to open up to her. I felt I could trust her.
"When I dance it helps me feel so much calmer, more part of the world, and connected to myself."
Thanks to this friend’s support I was able to start dancing again. Now I've grown in confidence and have made new friends, when I dance it helps me feel so much calmer, more part of the world, and connected to myself. I can't quite explain it. I'm actually looking into trying other physical activities now, if I can find services with knowledge of autism and mental health that feel safe for me.
That's where, hopefully, Mind's guidance will come in. Mind's research has shown many people with lived experience of mental health problems don't have access to physical activities, partly because coaches and providers don’t always feel supported by employers and funders to support participants.
This guidance brings together best practice from across the sector and has been shaped by people with lived experience of mental health problems, and I'm proud to have been a part of developing it. It's incredibly comprehensive, covering independent services, primary care settings, different and community programmes. It looks at participant experience, the skills and knowledge needed, and the support for 'self and others'. There is so much value within it all, and I just hope it reaches the people who will benefit most from it.
I would love to live in a world where all physical activity service providers are able to adapt and accommodate everyone. Sport, physical activity and movement should be for everyone. Let's make them truly inclusive!
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