Community
My daughter is getting into the Gaelic recently at our local club. I have been to some of the games and training sessions and this has triggered a few waves of nostalgia. I spent the best part of my youth playing soccer and Gaelic. It wasn’t just a hobby, it was an obsession. Most parents will relate to that lovely feeling of watching your child chasing a ball around the field, totally absorbed in the joy of the game. At a recent underage tournament, on a cold and windy Sunday morning as I took in the action, I couldn’t help but notice something more powerful than that. Something that I can only describe as an overwhelming sense of positive wellbeing emanating from the whole event.
It was undeniable. Smiling children everywhere. Proud, supportive parents. Adults were mingling and having the craic. Exercise endorphins were flowing. Everyone went home feeling excited and satisfied. Tired but content. It was a morning well spent and a little microcosm of my own childhood. I cannot imagine my life without those clubs where I was nurtured, coached and reared. Tir na Nog, St Marys, and then Potters FC. It is only when you get a bit older, that you can really appreciate the time and effort those coaches and volunteers put in.
I have delivered Mental Health Awareness workshops to various clubs across different sporting codes, everything from rugby to swimming, and I always go away impressed with the positive impact they are having in their communities. They are wellbeing hubs and our society would be so much poorer without them. This sense of community and comradery stretches way beyond the parameters of sport. You can be part of a positive, transformative community in college, in work, at Church. You could volunteer at the local foodbank, attend AA meetings or link in with a support and recovery service like Action Mental Health.
Some of us are not comfortable in social situations. I get that, and I see it daily. I work with clients who are prone to taking a panic attack in Rushmere or Tesco due to social anxiety. The idea of joining a club or social group is scary for these people. Getting over that first hurdle of meeting up with a new group for the first time is often the hardest but it is well worth the effort. For those with acute social anxiety you can join in without even leaving the house through online communities.
Humans are social animals. We need social connection the same way a plant needs sunlight. It’s a very primal urge that is locked into our DNA. We have emotional needs and desires that can’t be satisfied on an individual level. The chimpanzee cast out of the troop in the wildlife documentary, for eating all the food rations, more often than not, will die. The other chimp, who works selflessly for the overall group dynamic, will thrive. So go find your troop or tribe. You might find that it’s right on your doorstep. Whether it’s the Lough Neagh Monster Dunkers or a local knitting club, a walking group or an online autism support group. Link in, help out, get involved. It will give you purpose, direction, and a reason to get out of bed on those difficult days.
