[Closed] Riding out of the dark - MTB and mental health

Great post chakaping.

I read that with I interest as its something I too have struggled with. Once a week on the bike does indeed help suppress some anxiety and negativity.

Im not a Facebooker but will follow via Twitter 🙂

I really feel that exercise can make you feel better mentally and help combat stress but it won't fix deep problems or issues.

I like that.

I really do find it incredibly difficult to get out some weeks, and biking can even start to feel like yet another chore in my low mood, but I always feel better after a ride.

I really feel that exercise can make you feel better mentally and help combat stress

Do you think an Ebike might be able to make a difference in motovating someone who struggles to even get their bike out due to low mood and perhaps used to be in better physical shape before depression and fatigue reduced the amount of cycling they do? Might even be more enjoyable than their regular bike ever was as the "chore" as @kayak23 put it is removed from the equation.

The worry of their house spontaneously combusting into flames probably offsets all the benefits though.

I think rather than an e-bike, the best thing is a good circle of friends who will ride with him and have a social group that is inclusive of knowing that person is struggling and will bug him to get out and be inclusive without over pressurising them.

I ride with a friend who with work pressures, family life and other things really struggles mentally and yet we know him and we know that once he gets out on the bikes he is a different person. I always try to be available to him whether it be 6am on a sunday morning or 8pm on a tuesday night if i can, and it was nice when he turned to me yesterday after an event saying "thanks for dragging me out and driving, i am really not sure what i would of done without riding and this group, it has saved me..".

It doesn't if they struggle with fatigue or fitness, the two go together with depression, the main thing is to be inclusive, it is amazing what some fresh air, exercise and a few bad jokes can do (and i realise it isn't everything, but it is a good start)

Good to hear it chimes with people's experience.

Nobody's saying MTBing cures depression or whatever -  but there may be something about the unique combination of fresh air, exercise, great outdoors, technical challenge and excitement that make it really, really good for mental health.

Loving your work, thanks Stace 🙂

Good stuff Scud.

I have PTSD and going out on the MTB makes a huge difference to me, it gives me motivation and a purpose, when my PTSD was at its worst I could even leave the house.

I am now lucking enough to be supported by the Army which allows me to go out on the bike as part of my recovery process.. I'd be lost and go back to hell if I didn't have my bike

Thanks.

I think rather than an e-bike, the best thing is a good circle of friends who will ride with him and have a social group that is inclusive of knowing that person is struggling and will bug him to get out and be inclusive without over pressurising them.

Not necessarily true - I find dealing with people difficult, so whilst on the surface I'm friendly and chatty I don't really have any actual friends, so for the most part I ride to get away from people. There's only one or two people I get on with well enough (or more accurately, seem to tolerate me!) to be able to spend a whole ride on their company, so it makes me appreciate the rare occasions I ride with them more.

Modern life has so many mental demands, and I have trouble switching my brain off - offroad riding is the one thing I do that allows me mental peace and a reset.

I'd like to read that but my work E-security doesn't like that link. This will remind me to look at home...

🙂

Hope this is allowed -

You know that anxious, unsettled feeling you get when you haven’t ridden your bike for a while? Well it turns out you’re not the only one.

In 2016 OpenMTB and Cycling UK collaborated on a major survey of British off-road riding habits, including a section on physical and mental wellbeing. We expected people to tell us riding improved their mood, but were astonished to find 66 per cent of respondents ranked it “very important” for their mental health.

However this wasn’t a surprise to Lisa Roberts, an occupational therapist who was asking similar – but much more detailed – questions in a thesis produced during her National Insititute for Health Research internship.

Lisa’s work has the appropriately formal title “Why do you ride: A Characterization of Mountain Bikers, Their Engagement Methods, and Perceived Links to Mental Health and Well-Being”, and she’s taken time away from her job on a psychiatric ward to explain it to us in simple terms…

First tell us a bit about yourself and your MTB life

I’ve owned a mountain bike all of my life, and growing up in Wales, I used to get out on my bike a great deal; just around the local country roads really.

I got more serious about two-and-a-half years ago. I was going through a bit of a tough time, and felt I needed a challenge to focus on; something that would get me outdoors and pushing my boundaries.

So I dusted off the old bike and hit a trail centre with some friends; and the world of mountain biking unfolded before me! I became hooked quickly and began taking it more seriously, racing in enduro events last year and completing the Megavalanche this year.

I enjoy the competitive side, but I also get a great deal out of just heading off the beaten track with some friends and a packed lunch, seeing where the tracks take us.

What gave you the idea for the study and what were you hoping to achieve with it?

The idea simply came one evening after a ride. I’d been learning how to jump and was talking with my partner about how great mountain biking made me feel – better than hiking or road cycling; more exhilarated, with a bigger sense of achievement.

We got talking about what might make MTB different – the risk, the skills, the fact that all sorts of people can participate in it in all sorts of ways… and I wondered if there was much research on it.

It turned out there wasn’t a great deal, so that’s where it all began.

What were the most significant aspects of the findings, from your point of view?

That one-in-three riders consider themselves to have an existing mental health issue (mild and not necessarily diagnosed), and pro-actively ride as a coping strategy. A huge majority (more than 90%) state MTBing helps them to deal with stress, and when they ride ‘their everyday worries fade away’.

That there are LOADS of ways to engage in MTB and you don’t have to be a ‘risk-taker’ to enjoy it. People got similar mental health benefits no matter how they engaged or who they were.

Some people enjoy the risk more than others – slightly more males, younger riders, and downhill riders.

More children are riding than in the past – MTB is becoming more popular and more accessible.

It also encourages people to explore their local countryside.

Have you had much interest in the study?

Yes, a fair bit of interest. I presented my findings at the IMBA 2018 Summit in Slovenia, and was on a panel discussing ways that different sectors can work together to promote mountain biking. I hope my findings will help support funding bids in the future.

I’ve had some interest from Anxiety UK and have written a guest blog and an article for them. My plan now is to advocate for more adventurous outdoor activities to be used within occupational therapy practice.

Interested in delving deeper into Lisa’s study? Step right this way.

CASE STUDY ONE: JOANNA

Take a quick look at Joanna Shimwell’s Instagram feed and you might think she’s got a pretty enviable life.

The 31-year-old manages a campsite on the family farm in the Peak District and works part-time as a personal trainer – spending her spare time mountain biking or wild swimming in some stunning locations.

Read her captions however, and you’ll see she’s also unusually frank about facing the kind of mental health issues that many of us experience.

“I have a history of depressed mood and anxiety,” she explained. “I never had anti depressants but had counselling and then cognitive behavioural therapy and since then have gone on to read about overcoming dark thoughts and combatting waves of depression.”

She’s also frank about how she dealt with things in the past: “In my early twenties I got very into partying, did no exercise and turned to class A drugs and alcohol as my escape from underlying unhappiness.

“Several times this came to a head and I was hospitalised on one occasion. Eventually aged around 27 I decided to stop going out, leave that life behind and to try to become the wholesome outdoor-loving girl I grew up as.”

Borrowing a hardtail MTB from a friend, she began riding on her own, then after a few months joined an MTB Meet-Up group.

“That way I learned new skills, new routes and met people who loved to ride and have banter. It was great! A new way to spend my weekends and a definite mood enhancer.”

Of course it’s not just mountain biking that can have a positive effect on our mood.

“Exercise in general helps my wellbeing and gives me head space,” Jonanna continued. “I feel calmer and happier afterwards. It helps quieten any voices in my head that can lead to destructive thinking patterns and habits.”

Woman riding rooty trail

Joanna on home territory in the Peak District.

But, just like Lisa Roberts, she found something uniquely engaging and rewarding in MTBing.

“It is such a challenge for me that I really do find it a massively uplifting experience,” she explained.

“Being afraid and overcoming my fears, my strength being tested, my skill, my resilience. That’s what gives me a buzz…. I can prove to myself that I can achieve feats I could never have imagined.

“The feeling of fresh and air freedom is unparalleled when you are on your bike in the Mountains, there’s no greater high for me any more.

“I also love the peace. My work can sometimes feel very claustrophobic and overwhelming but the mountains heal me and re-energise me so i can face the world again.”

And it’s not just while riding that she feels the benefit.

“When I can’t ride I spend a great deal of time reliving the happy moments on my bike in my head.

“If I’m struggling, I try and tap into that happy time and focus on that, and tell myself that I need to look forward to the next opportunity to get out and have my escape.”

CASE STUDY TWO: ADAM

Adam Rowlinson is a freelance graphic designer and artist living in Lancashire’s West Pennine Moors. Gregarious, talkative and funny, he’s also experienced mental health problems on-and-off throughout his life.

The 48-year-old said: “I’ve suffered at various times with depression and anxiety. I’ve taken anti-depressants (with varying degrees of success) and take beta blockers for anxiety attacks.”

It was at one of his unhappiest moments that he discovered the positive effect mountain biking could have on his mood.

“During my most-severe bout of depression – after losing my business-  I was probably at the lowest point of my life.

“Spending the days applying for jobs and getting nowhere, then just worrying – I started to break the day up to get outdoors and get out on my bike.

“I started with small local rides, then got a bit more adventurous – getting cheap off-peak train tickets out to Hope or Rivington, putting some more serious miles in. I found it relieved my depression massively, especially in comparison to sitting in the house stewing.”

And Adam has a few ideas about why MTBing proves to be such a positive distraction.

“You’ll never appreciate a great big grin on your face at the bottom of a brilliant descent more than when you haven’t so much as raised the corners of your mouth for days,” he continued.

“When you’re picking a line down a rocky, technical descent you’ve not got time to think about anything else. No time to worry. I found that level of concentration, or the physical effort of a massive climb to be the best anti-depressant you can get.

“As well as the obvious benefits of being out in the hills and among fantastic views in beautiful countryside. Also there’s an element of fitness. As you ride more and get physically stronger, it makes you better equipped to deal with the mental side of things. This is added to by the sense of achievement you feel as you get faster and better technically.”

The concept of “self-medication” has negative connotations when associated with drink or recreational drug use – but that’s pretty much the approach Adam takes with biking.

“I find now that I know when the black dog is on the horizon, that’s when I need to go out and ride. I know how much good it will do me. I know it can help keep it at bay.

“So I end up in the situation some might find perverse, where the worse I feel, the more I ride. If that makes sense? I know that getting out on my bike is the best weapon I have in my armoury in combating my mental health issues.”

Well I don't mind, but it's still worth checking it on the OpenMTB site for the lovely pictures.

Im not a Facebooker but will follow via Twitter

Confession: We did let the Twitter account go dormant but Antony's plugging it into Facebook now so it should get all the same updates.

🙂

It's a good read, thanks for posting. Good to know other bikers are in a similar position.I do like what OpenMTB do.

Thanks Ben.

Replace mountain biking with off road and that’s me. Good read ta cha****ng.

Replace mountain biking with off road

Do you work for Cycling UK?

😉

But seriously, as one of the subjects said - most of us could be better at talking about this stuff.

It definitely resonates with me and II could have written it from my own POV, but thought it'd have more validity using people who'd actually been diagnosed with things.

Hopefully Lisa's study will be useful in advocating for MTB as a social good as well.

Hi Ben, not sure if you know one of those case studies is an active forum member?

If I lived near mountains I’d be up them like a rat up a drainpipe...off road will have to do.

🙂

Not read the article but getting on my bike has helped me immensely over the last 8 weeks with my depression and anxiety.

sometimes the hardest part is getting out the door - even though you *know* it will deliver the result hoped for.

As mentioned as well, maybe it's just a way of coping with the symptoms, rather than the underlying cause, but I'd be interested to know the flow path that makes riding (possibly, for me, over just getting out for a walk) the biggest benefit. As binners said, possibly, it's the no time to focus on anything else and so it purges the bad stuff at that time..

kcal - I'd suggest maybe...

Harder exercise = more endorphins

Technical challenge overcome = sense of reward/self-worth

I walk the dog every day, it's nice but like you I get nowhere near the same lift from it. Even when the little ****er runs off or something.

This is great work and a really interesting read. I’m another one who rides to help me manage my iffy mental health.

But i think it’s important to remember it’s not a panacea. There are some mega frustrating things about riding that can make me feel worse (that I still can’t get up that climb / manual / etc, or the added stress of dealing with filthy kit and bikes, and the feeling of failure if I don’t get out).

It’s also worth recognising that studies like these are effected by selection bias - they only talk to the people whose mental health has been improved by riding, not those who didn’t find it useful as, by definition, they don’t ride. So again, whilst mtb can be really helpful for some it doesn’t make it a cure all. Just because riding makes you feel better it doesn’t mean that if you drag out your mate who’s having a bad time he’ll feel better too.

If I lived near mountains I’d be up them like a rat up a drainpipe…off road will have to do.

Sorry that was an in-joke, for the two or three people who might read this and get it.

It’s also worth recognising that studies like these are effected by selection bias – they only talk to the people whose mental health has been improved by riding, not those who didn’t find it useful as, by definition, they don’t ride.

That's an important point, I cannot speak for Lisa but I don't expect she was touting her study as being equivalent to a clinical trial. Wouldn't it be great if someone decided to fund a proper one, perhaps with groups also riding on spin bikes and doing FA?

I've found mountain biking to be a relative constant in my life.

Ive had extended 6yrs...periods off due to injury. The proudest moment I've had on a bike was riding up to rivington pike n bumping into people I knew who were shocked to see me.

I'm finding it hard now to get out and I'm struggling with motivation but I know full well why. And when I'm out I'm instantly feeling better.

Just need to get out... so if anyone is in rivy msg me as I find it hard to say no...

👍🏻

My better half noticed long before me that cycle commuting not only helped me arrive at work in a less SAD woolly state at an unearthly hour, once my postie hours changed to having to be there for 0630/0700, but she was convinced I arrived home in a far better mental state than when I drove or used public transport. And that was when I was taking far longer to travel the ~4.5 miles each way from 2012 to the end of 2016, before I was using Strava.

But over the last ~23 months, the mental wellbeing benefits have grown substantially, since cycling for fitness on top of continuing the commutes. Finally discovering the quiet South Downs lanes were less than ~45mins cycling away after living in Southampton for ~25 years was a revelation for me, not only making cycling on the roads far less stressful, but also for getting me addicted to riding proper hills surrounded by nature and fresh air.

Sometimes anxiety about the weather gets the better of me, or chores that I need to do etc., but once I get out of the door there's easily been less than a handful of rides over the last two years where I come back feeling worse than when I left. Plus these days, there's always the option of using the turbo, not quite as beneficial as outdoor riding but it still can give me a decent mental boost.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-46958995

Great article thanks for sharing.
I struggle a great deal with my thoughts, great there’s more being done and shared to help those suffering with similar problems.