How nature/animals has helped with my mental health

JasonRA

Me and my mother (who cares for me) moved to a bungalow situated between two populous places in Cornwall. Cornwall Council offered the bungalow basically after using their Homechoice site, where you bid on a place and you might "win" it. They do have criteria's like being from the area ect.

It's a little isolated which isn't great but despite that the nature has helped me, seeing birds utilize the bird bath, watching them eating bird seed, seeing all sorts of birds, squirrels, visiting friendly foxes, hedgehogs, even a Buzzard who likes organic brown bread (They're supposed to be carnivores), badgers, a rapport with a carrion crow.

I get to see all of that outside the kitchen window and it's one of the few instances where it raises me up. I can only speak from an individual's perspective but I have agoraphobia and CPTSD (As a background to this story) but for some reason it brings a positive vibe or a positive air, something I haven't felt in years when I see all those animals.

Thought I'd share that.

snuggles65

Hi Jason,

What a lovely part of the world you live. Make the most of it there's nothing more comforting and a mental health boost than watching wildlife.

My hubby suffers with Cptsd and today especially as been very hard for him with having so many seizures.

Enjoy your little part of the UK and time with your mum.

Littlefatfriend

I agree entirely Jason.

As an adult I've lived in Liverpool, Manchester, Eindhoven, Paris, Montpellier and about 15 years ago I returned to County Durham.

Although the cities were/are great fun and having all sorts just around the corner can be useful, the noise and all the other restrictions of city living can be a kinda relentless.

In contrast to that I always enjoy having to drive through beautiful countryside in order to get anywhere from the village where I now live.

I liked seeing foxes and the other critters of cities, but they're far cleaner and healthier in the countryside and there are woodpeckers which visit my bird feeders. I get so many small birds that I'm often visited by a sparrowhawk.

The peace and quiet is another bonus. We're most of us always in a position to find people, etc!

colejames

Hi Jason,

I can fully appreciate how you feel but i'm probably as far away from you as I'm on the north-east coast of Suffolk and live in the heart of the town. I live in a Vistorian 2up 2down terraced house and apart from me nobody has mush more than a back yard. I am on the end of the terrace and have got a small garden. The garden is now about 25 years old and I've gone from just having seagulls to having a lot of wild creatures visiting. My son has CPTSD and also is less mobile due to spinal surgery. He loves the wildlife and has cameras set up on motion sensors so even if he misses something there is a recording to go back to.

Last year we babysat a young hedgehog who was born too late to survey the winter in the wild. We did it with advice and guidance from the local Hedge Rescue centre as they didn't have enough space. Alex took charge of caring for it. It came back to hibernate here this year but our neighbour blocked up the alleyway with rubbish and so hopefully he has found somewhere else.

We have an amazing range of birds that visit the garden and there is no shortage of Sparrows here. It is truely lovely to wake up to sound of birdsong.

I'm fortunate to be on the local parish council and have done a lot of work on developing an open spaces strategy and ensuring that the nature corridors are maintained and allowed to be more wild. It means that on top of the hedgehogs, we get foxes and muntjacks moving around in the middle of town along with owls and bats. The one visitor who hasn't appears as yet is a badger.

In many ways it's a simple pleasure but is one that makes each day special. So many people miss out on it.

wendy1

Hi JasonRA,

I'm glad that seeing all sorts off wildlife is helping you feel better and that your happy see the animals.

Our animals are marvellous creatures in the way they can help us, I wish that there was more people like you and I that appreciate and love them.

Catherine21

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/129830/how-nature-animals-has-helped-with-my-mental-health

Thats amazing seeing wildlife from you window I love nature too but I live in concrete city yes pure fresh air lovely