AA SPECIAL: MENTAL HEALTH

SAD TIMES BETTER DAYS MENTAL HEALTH IS “A STATE OF

WELLBEING IN WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL REALIZES HIS OR HER OWN ABILITIES, CAN COPE WITH THE NORMAL STRESSES OF LIFE,

CAN WORK PRODUCTIVELY AND FRUITFULLY, AND IS ABLE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO HIS OR HER COMMUNITY”. WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION.

WITH A LARGE PART OF THE PLANET STILL UNDER COVID-19 LOCKDOWN AND ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, WHY DON’T WE TALK ABOUT IT MORE OPENLY? STEVE T FINDS OUT HOW AIRSOFT CAN HELP GET US THROUGH THE DARK DAYS AND LOOK FORWARDS TO A BETTER FUTURE.

Ladies and gentlemen, today we present something outside of the norm.

At Airsoft Action, we usually deal in gear reviews, upgrades or historical features, but the one thing that unites us is our shared love of airsoft. It’s a love that can transcend boundaries and create friendships that would otherwise never happen. In this article, we will explore how that camaraderie can help in our darkest times - to reconnect with those around us, find new purpose and regain balance.

Anyone that has ever suffered from mental health issues - about one in four of the population, according to the charity, Mind - might find this article both interesting and inspiring. The Samaritans report that UK Suicide rates rose by more than 10% in 2018. So, if we can help someone just a tiny bit, then I’m sure you won’t begrudge us a few words on the subject.

If that all sounds a bit touchy-feely for you, then fair enough; please skip a few pages and normal service will be resumed.

NO ROOM FOR CYNICS Just to assure keyboard warriors everywhere that may accuse Airsoft Action magazine of cashing in on a content trend, I pitched this article to the management because I genuinely believe it can help others like me. And they not only said, “Go for it!” but also “What can we do to help?”

I write from hard-won and painful experience in the hope that my learnings may help you find a shortcut to success. In the process, not only has AA magazine supported me in my mission, but many of the team have also lent their voices to the cause. If you’re struggling with mental health right now, I hope you find my words, their

“I SERVED IN THE BRITISH ARMY AND ALSO AS A CONTRACTOR ON THE CIRCUIT. 19 YEARS AGO I WAS CLINICALLY DIAGNOSED WITH COMBAT RELATED PTSD, TRIED A PLETHORA OF DIFFERENT THERAPIES BUT NONE WORKED. THE ONLY WAY I COULD RELAX WAS TO SKIRMISH. “I NOW HAVE MY OWN SCHOOL WHERE I TEACH COMBAT FIREARMS SKILLS AND DRILLS. TEACHING OTHERS HELPS WITH MY THERAPY AS I KNOW NO OTHER KIND OF WORK. CONTINUING MY MILITARY INTEREST HELPS ME RELAX, COME TO TERMS WITH DIFFICULT EXPERIENCES AND FACE MY DEMONS. I CAN CONTINUE WHAT I KNOW AND LOVE, YET BE SAFE AT THE SAME TIME.” ANON, AA CONTRIBUTOR

words - or other people’s words - some kind of helpful.

WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE YOU ARE At the age of 46, I’ve suffered with depression and anxiety for about 15 years. Some days I struggle to find a reason to get out of bed; other days I wish I’d never bothered. But one Sunday out of four, I have an obligation to meet with my team for a day of airsoft. Sometimes it’s epic, other times it’s crap but it always gives me something to hang my month around other than my mundane and ultimately unfulfilling 9-5 existence.

But it’s not always been this way for me. Long story short; with no history of depression, it hit me in 2004 when, in the space of 12 months I lost my home, my spouse, a parent and my career. But that’s just my story. Many of our airsoft comrades that have served in the armed forces will have far more harrowing stories to tell.

As Paul Yelland says, “Every player has a story behind them and unfortunately, some are incredibly upsetting. Airsoft can be their escape for a few hours where they can find friendship and have fun”.

TRIGGER POINTS Beyond working through therapy, the trigger - no pun intended - for depression almost doesn’t matter because the end result is the same: your life will never be the same again.

Scientists are still unsure whether individuals are predisposed to depression because of chemical reactions in the brain or behavioural patterns, but it affects more of the population than most people realise.

Before I’d experienced depression for myself, I had no idea how debilitating it could be. It is literally like your brain undermines itself at every turn. Nothing is ever good enough even for yourself and everything is too much for you. Suddenly, the phrase “Wherever you go, there you are” becomes altogether less comforting.

LET THE BELLENDS RING! Life has taught me not to trust people, so I don’t make friends easily, but airsoft is helping me overcome that. Solo airsoft is a fine pursuit, but it’s so much better with friends. I took a risk and reached out through my local site’s Facebook page looking for chums to swap tales of derring-do in the safe zone. And it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. They may be a bunch of bellends (they might be reading this, after all), but not only did I join a squad of similarly middle-aged, out-of-shape twats, but I’ve also made some genuine friends. Although they may change their minds when they read that…

I’ve met some good people to casually chat with as part of my wider circle online - about sniping, batteries or scopes - but I’ve also made some great friends in the real world. Friends that I can not only coordinate with on a two-pronged attack, or to watch my back when I’m reloading, but friends that will share a mag or battery with me if I need it. Friends that would even help me move house …maybe. But definitely friends that will check in when they know the chips are down.

Airsoft has given me just the tiniest taste of the brotherhood that active personnel enjoy. Of course, it isn’t the same, before anyone calls me delusional, but it might just be “similar”.

I HAVE A USE FOR YOU So, while mental health is still a taboo subject for many, what is it about airsoft that breaks down those barriers? For starters, “Gunday Sunday” is outside the norm - you

“MY DEPRESSION WAS TRIGGERED WHEN MY MUM DIED - WE WERE SUCH A CLOSE FAMILY - AND I’VE BEEN ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS EVER SINCE. “I’M PRESCRIBED DIAZEPAM FOR WHEN I FEEL AN ANXIETY ATTACK COMING ON, BUT THE ABSOLUTE BEST REMEDY OUT OF ALL IS GETTING MY GEAR READY ON SATURDAY TO GO PLAY AIRSOFT AND SHOOT PEOPLE. ALL LEGAL, ALL HIGH-PRESSURE AND WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE, SPENDING TIME HAVING BANTER WITH LIKE MINDED LUNATICS THAT ALSO ENJOY SHOOTING PEOPLE AND GETTING SHOT. I CAN GUARANTEE THAT

NOBODY IS HAVING DEEP AND DARK THOUGHTS WHILST OUT IN THE FIELD OR THE SAFE ZONE. “MANY MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS MANIFEST FROM LACK OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STIMULATION, WHICH GIVES THE HUMAN MIND TIME AND SPACE TO PRODUCE THOUGHTS AND IMAGES - AND BEFORE YOU REALISE IT, THE DARK CLOUD HAS CLOSED IN AROUND YOU ONCE MORE.

“I’M TALKING FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE - AND NOT JUST FROM RECENT WORK IN SECURE NHS MENTAL HEALTH HOSPITALS WHERE I SPENT TWO YEARS SUPPORTING ADULTS TO IDENTIFY, UNDERSTAND AND FIGHT A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS. “IT’S NOT THAT EASY TO FIGHT YOUR WAY THROUGH IT, BUT WITH RIF IN HAND, YOU ARE EMPOWERED AND WITH YOUR TEAMMATES FIGHTING THE ENEMY, YOU FIND YOURSELF NEEDED. WITHIN MOMENTS, THE CLOUD HAS DISAPPEARED. AN ADRENALINE RUSH WILL LIKELY WASH AWAY THE BLUES AND WHAT BETTER RUSH THAN RUNNING INTO A HAIL OF (PLASTIC) BULLETS? “AIRSOFT IS A HUGE DISTRACTION FROM REAL LIFE. IT HAS HELPED ME AND I KNOW OF MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME RELEASE OF ANGER, FRUSTRATION, LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND MANY, MANY OTHER INVISIBLE CONDITIONS THROUGH OUR SPORT.” LEZ LEE, AA CONTRIBUTOR

can leave your job, responsibilities or career behind you. The moment you step into your camo costume - or just raise a RIF - you are immediately outside your usual life experience. And that will help bring perspective to your existence. It’s a little like taking a holiday from yourself. You’ll also most likely be up against pressure as a team to achieve your objective - and that‘s a shortcut to working together. So you can park your day-to-day dilemmas while you build towards that objective as part of a team. In other words, you’ll have no option but to live in the moment rather than forecasting your fears and catastrophising about your shortcomings. MAGIC MOMENTS Being “in the moment” is a well-documented strategy for dealing with mental health that you can guarantee will never mention airsoft in the self-help books and yet it’s one of the most effective measures I’ve encountered.

Sai Kelly says that, “Airsofting is a good place to get your buttons pushed with the potential for real therapy”, specifically mentioning anger, unresolved issues and interactions after the event. He says that it’s important to feel supported and surrounded to make good on a desire for improvement. “In a perfect environment with help from teammates and friends, this can be a good scenario for therapy. Providing no one gets trampled! I’ve given a fair amount of apologies...”

Another AA contributor says, “Although I have had my mental health issues over the years - depression is the gift that just keeps giving! - I was in the middle of a divorce when I first got into airsoft. I can attest that there is nothing like shooting c**ts to clear the air a little!” FOR THE FORCES TOO Where airsoft used to be seen as nothing more than wannabe playtime by the armed forces, things have moved on. Especially since agencies the world over now recognise the benefits it has to offer for training.

Airsoft has come a long way from its inception and now attracts an increasing number of former servicemen and women looking to recapture the team spirit they’d experienced in action, as well as capitalise on their learned skills. And many of them are also recovering from PTSD.

I’m fortunate enough to have former soldiers on my squad. Some of them just enjoy the teamwork they miss from active service and deploying the fieldcraft they’d learned - and it’s a treat to watch them work. Others use it as a way of dealing with problem issues from big bangs to bad situations. They make a genuine contribution to the team that we all benefit from. WHAT IF? With depression often comes anxiety. What if I’m not good enough? What if I let everyone else down? What if I can’t breathe?

Oversimplifying things massively, the single best thing you can do to combat - pun intended this time - anxiety is to face your fears. That might mean going to a crowded space, handling a tarantula or taking a plane journey but putting yourself in the line of plastic hail might also be a good strategy.

Popular psychology bases recovery around facing specific phobias but maybe fear in general is the real enemy for some. If you can learn to control your fear response in one scenario, then that could be a transferable skill.

I’ve experienced panic attacks while playing airsoft over the years, but each time has been a learning experience where I can practise coping techniques to incrementally wage war on my inner demons. Whether taking a moment out to count my breaths or saying “Fuck it!” and piling in headlong, airsoft has taught me that even if I might not win, I will prevail. As they say; adapt and overcome.

Now, I’m genuinely proud to say that at least one of my squad calls me fearless because of the way I dive headfirst into the fray. TOGETHER ALONE If you’re struggling with mental health issues right now, there’s nothing more trite than someone saying, “You’re not alone”. Where are those people at midnight on a Thursday? But it might at least help to know that more people than you think will understand. As our glorious leader and Editor Nige puts it, “Nothing is more important than family - but family doesn’t necessarily mean parents and siblings”. And that sentiment isn’t restricted to Fast and Furious movies - it holds true for airsoft too.

Maybe you’ve always fancied trying airsoft or maybe you’re taking a break from it, but why not pop down to your nearest site and see what kind of welcome you get. If you know someone that’s having a hard time right now and you think they’d enjoy shooting people - purely for fun! - let them know about airsoft in case it’s just the release “MY BRUSH WITH CANCER SENT ME TO VERY DARK AND FRIGHTENING PLACES. WHEN YOU ARE SUDDENLY CONFRONTED BY YOUR OWN MORTALITY, IT’S A

VERY EMOTIVE THING AND YOUR MOODS SWING AT THE DROP OF A HAT. “THE AIRSOFT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN MASSIVELY SUPPORTIVE THROUGHOUT MY RECOVERY FROM MAJOR SURGERY; SOME OF THE LOCAL LADS DELIVERING ME A RATHER GRUESOME ‘KIDNEY CAKE’ WHEN I HAD ONE OF MINE REMOVED!

“THE KINDNESS, SUPPORT, AND GENERAL BLACK HUMOUR OF MY AIRSOFT FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD HAS MOST DEFINITELY SEEN ME THROUGH A

TOUGH TIME THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR HARDER WITHOUT THEM.” BILL PRYCE-THOMAS, AA CONTRIBUTOR

“MY DEPRESSION STEMS FROM POSTNATAL DEPRESSION. ISN’T THAT JUST FOR WOMEN? AS IT TURNS OUT, NO.

“SEEING MY WIFE IN SO MUCH DISCOMFORT FOR 50 HOURS AND FEELING USELESS TO HELP HAS LED TO SOMETIMES CRIPPLING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND RECENTLY DIAGNOSED PTSD. ALL IS GOOD NOW AND WE HAVE A HEALTHY THREE-YEAR-OLD, BUT I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS STEMMING FROM IT ALL.

“AIRSOFT IS A GREAT THING. YOU GET TO BE OUTDOORS AND DO SOMETHING ENERGETIC - MUCH BETTER THAN BEING A COUCH POTATO - BUT THE BIGGEST POSITIVE FOR ME IS BEING ABLE TO GO SOMEWHERE AND DO SOMETHING TO ESCAPE EVERYDAY STRESSES. “IT’S LIKE A THERAPY SESSION AS I MEET UP WITH FRIENDS AND LIKE-MINDED OTHERS FOR BANTER AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGRESS TO ACT A BIT LIKE KIDS. WE GET TO DRESS AS SOLDIERS, ACT AS A CHARACTER FROM A VIDEO GAME AND RUN AROUND SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER. MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT’S A CHANCE TO HAVE FUN. I HAVE MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS - SOME OF WHO HAVE BECOME NON-BLOOD FAMILY TO ME - ALL AS A RESULT OF AIRSOFT.”

PJ, AA CONTRIBUTOR

they’re looking for. As one contributor says, “I would strongly advise you go if you can. Rely on your friends; they’ll help you along and take your mind off it, even if for just a while. I’m struggling but you might not if you can go be around people doing what you love”.

In before the critics; this is most definitely not a callous roll-call to drum up business for airsoft sites. As a team, Airsoft Action has many members and contributors that have both suffered mental health issues and overcome them - at least in part - due to airsoft, as we hope you’ll see from the quotes. We speak from shared experience so that we might help others that are struggling right now.

We only hope that through sharing our experiences and encouraging others to find solutions to their individual problems through airsoft that we can help in some small way.

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! If you know someone that’s dealing with mental health issues, please don’t wait for them to ask for help - they might not be in a frame of mind where they can reach out. Just take a moment to check in on social media, bung them an email and, when this lockdown is over, pop around for a cuppa… or arrange your next airsoft day together.

It’s really not overstating things to say that you might just save a life... AA

STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH? IF THE ISSUES IN THIS ARTICLE HAVE AFFECTED YOU,

PLEASE TALK TO YOUR GP. IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS, CALL THE SAMARITANS FREE ON 116 123 OR THE NHS ON 111. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: COMBAT STRESS: WWW.COMBATSTRESS.ORG.UK

MIND: WWW.MIND.ORG.UK

RETHINK: WWW.RETHINK.ORG SHOUT: WWW.CRISISTEXTLINE.UK THE NHS: HTTP://BIT.LY/38TUTTE THE SAMARITANS: WWW.SAMARITANS.ORG

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK TAKES PLACE FROM 18TH-24TH MAY IN THE UK AND IN THE USA, MENTAL ILLNESS WEEK IS FROM 4TH-10TH OCTOBER.