Fishing Promotes Healing

All over the world, people go fishing for many different reasons. Some do it for fun; others do it for food or income, or even for scientific research and study. In recent years, a growing number of medical professionals have begun to incorporate fishing into their mental health treatment programs. An article about the one discussed below is published on the popular European website, Mental Healthy, and can be found here.

The article focuses on two NHS (National Health Services) nurses in Scotland, who've pioneered a new form of outdoor therapy for mental health patients, centered around fishing. Part of the idea spawns from the understanding that for patients, repeated standard outpatient therapy sessions can easily become mundane; gradually depreciating their desire to participate, thus limiting the potential for success. By conducting their "green exercise" treatment outdoors, it could increase its effectiveness and promote positive changes to patients' lifestyles:

The nurses from Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Leverndale and Dykebar in Scotland, believed the therapy would bring a change in the patients’ lifestyle, encouraging them to carry out activities by themselves and surrounded by a peaceful environment. 

Mr. John Kelly, a nursing assistant from Leverndale said, ‘We all find angling extremely therapeutic and thought that some of our patients would really benefit from it.’ 

‘We work with patients who have enduring mental health problems and long term life limiting conditions and we wanted to do something for them that would improve their quality of life and provide a change to their everyday routine.'

Although still a relatively new form of treatment, the program has been well received and has exceeded the medical providers' expectations. Everyone involved seems quite pleased:

‘We had brilliant feedback from our managers who were quick to help us establish a plan–the results have surpassed all our hopes. The patients love it so much even the wind and rain hasn’t put them off.' 

Calum MacLeod, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde head of mental health, said; ‘We are tremendously proud of what the teams at both hospitals have achieved. Everyone, including our patients, are incredibly motivated and the resultant benefit to the patient’s health and wellbeing has been fantastic.’

An important part of mental health therapy is to help the patients learn to help themselves. Another example of this program's success is the sense of confidence and initiative it has instilled in some of the patients. 44 year old Stephen Erskine, a long-term patient, is a fitting example:

Stephen, from Pollok in Glasgow, said: ‘It’s great fun going out with the nurses. It’s a good sense of achievement when we catch fish – we caught 10 last time – and nice to get out to get some fresh air. It’s a very calming and relaxing thing to do and I feel a lot of pride in taking part.’ 

Nursing assistant John Kelly added: ‘Stephen had never fished before but now he’s a great help. I used to have to set up all the rods and keep a close eye on them but now Stephen has partly taken over that role.’

What I find particularly interesting about this story is how consistent it is with the widespread modern movement away from prescription medicine, and toward natural remedies. This "green exercise" treatment removes the common institutional feeling of mental health therapy and directly connects the patients to nature in a positive way. Without question, it's another example of the many potential benefits of fishing.