An Almanac for Anxiety: In Search of a Calmer Mind - Episode 1
Seriously...
BBC
4.1 • 885 Ratings
🗓️ 15 August 2023
⏱️ 16 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Anxiety is the most common form of mental illness in the UK, with nearly a fifth of people experiencing it over the course of a year. Although it is often treated through medication, there are many alternative ways which are proving to be very effective in reducing anxiety amongst some people. In this series, we explore how connecting with the elemental forces of nature helps people with a range of mental illnesses to feel better. We also learn about the current academic research behind these methods.
In Episode 1 - Fire - we visit an overnight camp on the banks of the River Spey near Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands run by the charity Fire and Peace. According to the participants, - who have a range of mental ill health and addiction issues - the experience of spending time around the fire in nature is transformative when it comes to promoting feelings of connection and wellbeing. We also hear new research which shows how being around a campfire can be calming.
Produced and Presented by Helen Needham Research by Anna Miles and Maud Start Original Music by Anthony Cowie Mixed by Ron McCaskill
A BBC Scotland Production made in Aberdeen for BBC Radio 4
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This was an impregnable fortress. The only way you get out was in a wooden box. |
| 0:05.0 | The controversial maximum security prison impossible to escape from. |
| 0:09.0 | And one of the duties of a political prisoner is the escape. |
| 0:12.0 | The IRA inmates who found a way. of a political prisoner is the escape. |
| 0:12.5 | The IRA inmates who found a way. |
| 0:14.5 | I'm Carlo Gableer and I'll be navigating a path |
| 0:19.5 | through the disturbing inside story of the biggest jailbreak in British and Irish history. |
| 0:25.0 | The narrative that they want is that this is a big achievement by them. |
| 0:28.5 | Escape from the maze, listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:35.0 | BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, Music Radio Podcasts. |
| 0:39.0 | Hello and welcome to Seriously from BBC Radio 4. I'm Helen Needham, the host of the Radio 4 series |
| 0:47.4 | and Almanac for anxiety in search of a calmer mind. In the series I look at simple ways we can help to reduce stress and |
| 0:56.4 | anxiety through the power of nature, from sitting around the campfire to breathing |
| 1:02.0 | deeply and sinking our hands into the soil. |
| 1:06.0 | To listen to all the episodes just search for an almanac for anxiety on BBC Sounds. on the banks of the river Spay near Avi Moore in the Highlands of Scotland a fire |
| 1:20.1 | is being prepared. The fire will form the centerpiece of an overnight camp |
| 1:27.2 | led by Jerry Ward, founder and director of Fire and Peace, a charity offering nature therapy to people with addiction and mental health issues. |
| 1:37.0 | And then flint and steel, a bit of flint and my hard and tempered steel put the two them together and we get sparks. |
| 1:47.3 | I'm Helen Meadham and I've been involved in making radio programs about nature and the |
| 1:51.7 | outdoors in Scotland and beyond for almost two decades. |
| 1:56.0 | Over the years I've observed the transformative effects of spending time in the outdoors for people. |
| 2:02.0 | In this series an almanac for anxiety in search of a calmer |
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