As the ski and snowboard season winds up, it can be fun to think about and celebrate the impact of skiing and snowboarding on mental health!
Have you heard of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual approach (BPSS) to treatment for mental illness?
- Biological
- Psychological
- Social
- Spiritual
The same model can also be recommended when thinking about self-care! What if we look at how snow sports can fit into that model?
With the medical approach to mental health, there’s a heavy focus on medication, which is really key in treatment and a huge part of the “bio-” part of BPSS. Other parts of the bio piece can include nutrition, exercise, and sleep.
That brings us to the “psycho-” part. The psychological impact of fun can’t be underestimated! Humans need fun to have a healthy brain. The fun parts of skiing and snowboarding include the simple pleasures of feeling good and being playful, as well as the feeling of trying, learning, and getting better. When we become more skilled at something, through practice, there is a sense of satisfaction like no other. This is very healing for the brain.
If you’re interested in psychology, you might want to look up the history of EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). The creator of this well-known therapy, Dr. Francine Shapiro, discovered it after walking outside and looking all around while trying to process a traumatic event. It’s worth mentioning here because skiing and snowboarding are sports that take place outside while looking all around. It’s fun to think about how our brains can process stress while we’re on the mountain, looking in every direction!
The “-social” part of the BPSS model for recovery means connections with friends, family, peers, and community. So if we’re talking about skiing and snowboarding, it can mean doing runs with your fam or friends. But it also means the random people on the chair lift, the people in the lodge, the friendly staff at the rental shop, and the instructor who cheers you on. Who else can you think of who you get to connect with at the ski hill? Have you ever had the chance to go with your school?
And then there’s the “spiritual” aspect. For some people, this is faith-based. But it can also mean connecting with nature, or with Something Larger like a mountain. It can mean feeling in tune with the trees and the snow, centered in the moment and grateful.
Some people get to volunteer at community events at the ski resort and feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. Many people feel a sense of awe and wonder as they take in the scenery and the falling snow, or the sunshine sparkling.
These are some examples of how we can look at skiing and snowboarding as being part of self-care and even part of recovery when we’re thinking about mental health and mental illness.
Lots of people want to try but don’t feel like they have the opportunity because it’s so expensive. Many overcome this obstacle by volunteering or working at their local hill. It can seem so out of reach, but here in BC, it’s truly within reach!
Now that the hills are closing and spring has sprung, what do you have to look forward to that will keep you healthy in mind, body, and spirit until next winter?