Fishing and Mental Health: World Mental Health Day 2023

This year, World Mental Health Day is on the 10th of October, and it's the perfect time to remind all anglers, new to professional, that going out to the bankside gives you a breath of fresh air (literally) to relax and recharge.

Fishing has been proven by organisations such as Tackling Minds and psychological studies to not only help ease depression and anxiety but to improve your mental health.

In a study by Djohari et al in 2018, fishing was found to have a positive affect (calm, peace and the dissipation of stress). 

The Mental Health Foundation found in their 2021 studies that “Research shows that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life and more likely to report feeling their lives are worthwhile.”

The same study found that 70% of UK adults agreed that being close to nature improves their mood and 40% said being close to nature helps them to cope with stress.

As a type of ecotherapy, fishing has been proven by psychologists to help with more than depression:

Outdoor activities such as fishing can help people get away from the everyday stresses of family or work life and just focus at the moment on the task at hand!

Fishing can help improve your mental health in several ways. Whether it's via social benefits or physical health that enhances your mental and emotional state, fishing is a great way to start feeling back to yourself!

David Lyons, founder of Tackling Minds shared his reasons why fishing helped with his mental health:

“I was in recovery from alcohol addiction, which I had struggled with for a number of years. During my periods of recovery I always found I struggled to occupy my mind. I became a little bit of a recluse and I wasn't socialising. I decided to get some fishing gear and get back out there.”

Fishing encourages an interest in sports and outside activities whilst getting you moving more. Although some fishing is a sitting and waiting game, there is still plenty of moving, such as carrying your fishing tackle to your desired swim, casting out the line, cranking the reel, and more!

The physical demands of angling, according to the NHS, help you to set goals or challenges and achieve them as well as cause chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood.

The process of learning a new skill, like fishing, also raises your self-esteem and gives you a sense of accomplishment.

Fishing provides opportunities for people to re-engage with society following illness, a period of inactivity, or for older age groups to participate in a sport in a safe, welcoming environment.

Spending time in blue spaces and green spaces is linked to improved life satisfaction, reduced anxiety and increased happiness (McMahan & Estes, 2015). 

Man, woman, or child, fishing is for all!

You may have never picked up a fishing rod in your life, or ever considered doing so, but plenty of social events help novice and experienced anglers gain more socialisation.

Fishing certainly helps with anxiety. Whilst at the bankside, you can just let go of all other thoughts and focus on the simplicity of tying a fishing rig, casting a line, and catching some fish! 

Fishing helps to incorporate a therapeutic element into your lifestyle as it brings people into contact with ‘blue-green spaces’ in order to maintain positive mental health and aid stress relief.

In fact, the NHS now prescribes angling to help with depression by suggesting sufferers attend sessions with Tackling Minds or similar events hosted by organisations run by the Angling Trust.

The angling community can help you access fishing in order to improve your mental health.

This can be done by contacting Tackling Minds to attend an event or by popping into your local Angling Direct tackle shop.

Be sure to check for beginner coaching sessions, or events for yourself or a loved one via Angling Trust.

You can also join some of the angling communities on social media to help build that self-esteem and guide you on your first session out on the bankside!

Angling Trust Get Fishing Events 

Get Hooked on Fishing Events 

Tackling Minds Events 

Tackling Minds Facebook Online Community 

If you are feeling overwhelmed about reaching out to organisations like Tackling Minds or attending fishing events, read the ‘No one judges you out here' article from the Guardian.

So many volunteers for these organisations have been in your shoes and will not be judging you at all.

If you find the aspect of socialising daunting when it comes to fishing, you can always reach out virtually via social media, watching youtube or heading out solo to the bank!

We, here at Angling Direct want everyone to feel welcome in the angling world. 

If you can push yourself to an angling event, you may find others similar to you, to build up your self-esteem and build that community spirit you need!

Recently, Tackling Minds founder, David Lyons, was invited along to Angling Direct’s annual managers meeting and was asked to talk about his journey with the growth of Tackling Minds.

David spoke about his own mental health, addiction, and how Tackling Minds supports hundreds of people through their Mental Health and well-being programs.

In a recent online fundraiser, Tackling Minds were able to raise an impressive amount of £11k, and Angling Direct is donating additional £6k. 

Angling Direct and Tackling Minds have worked together to push the benefits of angling with the launch this year of the Tackling Minds clothing range.

As the Tackling Minds founder says: FISHING IS NOT A SPORT, IT’S A WAY OF LIFE!

Whether you volunteer for a Tackling Minds event or a similar event across the UK, or even campaign for fishing events like Tackling Minds events and bring something similar to an area near you, you can help your community get into angling.

You could check in on your angling friends and arrange a day at the bankside.

Even if you just take your family or friends fishing, putting in the time to teach and equip those with tools to not only fish but improve their mental health is a great way to help anyone. Fishing or just the act of being outside away from all the technology gives them time and environment to really talk and reflect on negative thoughts and feelings they may be battling. 

Whether you create your own fishing event or help with those arranged by the angling industry, it can help break down the stigma of mental health issues and build people back up again with something we are all so passionate about fishing! 

You can of course help with fundraising too, whether it's a simple donation to one of the angling charities like Tackling Minds or purchasing a Tackling Minds piece of clothing. The money helps fund the events, the tackle needed and travel to get more people back to being healthy.

If you are feeling that your mental health is suffering or are having suicidal thoughts, please reach out for help.

Mental Health Innovations: You can text "SHOUT" to 85258 for free from all major UK mobile networks. You'll then be connected to a volunteer for an anonymous conversation by text message.

Mind.Org Infoline: 0300 123 339

Samaritans: 116 123

Rethink: 0300 5000 92

Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): 0800 58 58 58 or use their webchat here.

There are also lots of resources on the Mental Health Awareness official website.