Lots of people say they “run for mental health”. But what’s actually mean? Well, I definitely run to give my brain a break, and seeing the change in my daily life just from running, is something I wish I could bottle up and send to friends around the world!
I hate to admit this but…
I’ve been running for over 10 years and the benefit of feeling clear-headed after a run really has made a big difference. But I sometimes feel as though people say “I run for mental health” because it sounds trendy. I know, it sounds bizarre, but there’s been such a change in social media over the last 10 years. But I really feel that the phrase “mental health” gets over-used and flung around.
I’m not at all invalidating anyone who feels they really do reap the mental health benefits of running. But I think people may see a runner posting their ‘hashtag mental health run’ and then see that some of those posts are sponsored, and so I can see why to some people, it might be seen as fake? Especially to those people are new to running, and may be on a lower pay scale, or struggling and dealing with the hardship of anxiety or other issues.
I had therapy
Way back before 2015 (ish), I was diagnosed by my virtual CBT therapist with PTSD, depression and anxiety. It had been a long time coming and after some trauma, I decided that enough was enough and I was ready to get some help, and get my life back. I had no confidence, I was always doubting everything; my own thoughts; my beliefs, what I was capable of, even whether I was important. I was in a bad place.
So, I called the doctor. And long story short, I soon got myself a therapist through the NHS. She was a lovely lady and took me through a series of Zoom calls every week, and then it went to fortnightly; I worked through a lot of stuff with her help. And she equipped me with an understanding of why I felt like I did, how to strip that down and re-construct my own belief system. That and anti-depressants too.
It was hard, being really honest with myself, doing the homework on my own ‘thoughts, and trying to build myself back up. But throughout the process, I realized that I wasn’t being the same me ‘back up’. I was building a renewed version of myself. A stronger one with a solid knowledge of my own values. I learnt how to let unhelpful thoughts, pass. And how to find evidence for the helpful ones.
You’re not your own thoughts. But you can make your mind a nice place to live.
One day, within months (I think?), I was then discharged from the course. It was all agreed and planned in advance. We had goals of where I wanted to be in order to ‘not need therapy’ any more. And I got to that place. A happier, clearer, peaceful place.
And now I run
I’ve not had therapy since then. I don’t feel I need it. Sometimes I need to gently remind myself, by asking “how helpful is that thought?”, to then let it go. That thought doesn’t serve you. It doesn’t align with your values. We’re all human. We all need a little bit of a reminder.
But running is a huge part of how I get that clarity now. It has been a ‘strategy’ – a word my therapist used to use a lot – for years. I used to use lots of strategies; the smell of perfumes to remind me I was safe, the sight of nature making me feel grounded on the floor.
Running clears my head
And now running is a big one too. Hiking and walking in general is. But when I go for a run, it really helps me clear my head. If I get into my head about something, or I’ve had a long or stressful day, or feel a bit restless, I’ll go for a run. The distance doesn’t really matter too much. But I’ll get outdoors and just put my headphones on, and get one foot in front of the other.
I’m lucky that I’ve been running for years and don’t struggle in the first 10 minutes too much.. (that might have been a bit different in the first few years of learning to run though!). So I can just choose one of my playlists, and jog for a little while. Sometimes, a 5K is all I need; that’s about 30 minutes for me. Sometimes, I really get into it, I can feel it working and I’ll run further because I fancy it.
How’s it work?
When I’m running, I’ll forget I’m running; it’s like a little daydream where you space out and then ‘come back’. It’s like you blow the cobwebs off for a bit, and then once you’ve finished, something just feels a lot clearer. It’s not like being the first person to cross a race line where you burst through the banner and you’ve broken a record; there’s no paparazzi or medals or fireworks.
You just suddenly feel noticeably lighter. Like okay, I can handle this now.
Written by Katie McDonald, 30th March 2025.
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