Travel Therapy- Just what the doctor ordered!

I came across these staggering figures on the net (mentalhealth.org.uk).

The facts and figures around Mental Health in the UK are alarming.

• 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year

• Mixed anxiety and depression is the most common mental disorder in Britain

• Women are more likely to have been treated for a mental health problem than men

• About 10% of children have a mental health problem at any one time

• Depression affects 1 in 5 older people

• Suicides rates show that British men are three times as likely to die by suicide than British women

• Self-harm statistics for the UK show one of the highest rates in Europe: 400 per 100,000 population

Mental health is often a taboo in societies therefore rarely spoken about let alone acknowledged. To think anxiety and depression is the most common mental disorder in the UK. The two conditions I’ve learnt to manage in the past few years, thanks to my love for travelling. I’d argue that sometimes a short break is what many mental health sufferers need, not anti-depressants as often ordered by doctors.

You don’t need scientific proof to know stepping out of a troubled situation be it; work, family problems, relationships etc, and taking a break/ holiday equals becoming a newly revived you. That’s my equation and it often works.

Living in an over populated city such as London really does play its toll. But it’s the sacrifice I’ll always make because despite our ‘love-hate’ relationship- I love London. It’s such an international hub (and I have to admit, sometimes I miss the ‘noise’ and the fast pace of the city when I’m away). It’ll always be home, but getting away will always be my therapy… Just what the doctor (should have) ordered!