A Bio-Psycho-Social Approach
With Kyle
Over recent decades, there has been an appreciable shift in mental health practice to adopt what is known as a ‘bio-psycho-social’ approach, capturing more of the nuance of what it means to be a human in relation to ourselves and others, and bringing mental health more into conversation with physical health. Looking particularly at that ‘bio’ side of the equation, the benefits of regular exercise have long been apparent when trying to achieve personal fitness goals, but the impacts on our mental well-being are becoming better understood through continued research, with support for its use in the treatment of anxiety and even PTSD now established.
With the seasonal shift to wetter months and an understandable pivot to more time spent indoors, it might be more difficult to get that beneficial exercise in as easily as the more welcoming Summer days. This might be a time to explore what is on offer in terms of community centre programs, which can often present affordable fitness classes, which are also a great way to meet others in your local community, supporting our need for social interaction, simultaneously to that physical side of things. When possible, though, it is still recommended to get outside and into the sun: even an overcast day will provide more Vitamin D than standard indoor lighting, and this is necessary for a host of physical and mental systems, including healthy bones (we can’t absorb Calcium without it!), cognitive capacity including our ability to learn, and a robust immune system, so important now that we’re deep into flu and cold season. Vitamin D, and aerobic exercise, have been shown to combat the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, the experience of depression tied to the onset of Winter. With SAD incidence rates of up to 15% of Canadians at some point in their lives, there’s a good chance that you, or someone you know, might be in the grips of the Winter Blues. Luckily, we’re learning more every year on how to better navigate these sorts of disruptions.
We are blessed on the Island with an abundance of beautiful nature, and many walking and cycling trails exist in our local communities to help us access it. This might be an opportunity to investigate run clubs or cycling groups, to help us get over the understandable reticence to get out the door and into the wet. In the spirit of motivation, maybe consider the Scandinavian proverb, which holds that ‘there is no bad weather, only bad clothing!’
