鈥淚 wanted to be noticed. I wanted to feel like I was part of the world, but I was too scared before. 海角社区 helped me be part of the world.鈥�听
In 2018听Alister felt like he didn鈥檛 belong. Upon leaving the army he struggled to return to civilian life and found himself isolated and drinking heavily. He stayed in his听flat听for听two听years with limited interactions with others, and his confidence and social skills continued to drop.听This had a big impact on his mental health and wellbeing, and he found himself in a cycle of negative thinking.听Now Alister is in a positive place and he credits 海角社区 with helping turn his life around.听
鈥満＝巧缜� were looking after me and helping me without me realising. That meant more to me than the world. Getting to the outdoors really changed my perspective. I used to get myself into听bother,听but I promised听myself听I wasn鈥檛 going to do that anymore.鈥�听
A combination of substance use and PTSD led Alister to feel like he was diving deeper into a negative place. Alister听was referred to 海角社区鈥檚听outdoor learning听service,听Positive Futures, which gives听ex-service men and women听the chance to听unlock or听develop their life skills out in the wilderness.听听
As part of our听community and outdoor focused support, Alistair听took part in a wilderness journey which gave him the听chance to try abseiling, canoeing, and other activities which took听him out of his comfort zone 鈥� a stark contrast to听staying isolated indoors for nearly听two听years.听Despite having been in the army, Alister听often felt听self-conscious听around veterans听as听he hadn鈥檛 been to war听and had different experiences to听other service personnel.听听听
鈥�I didn鈥檛 have a lot of friends. I wasn鈥檛 a people person.听Whenever听I met people and I told them I wasn鈥檛 in the war, I would get negative responses from soldiers and听that听made me hide from society. The听guys I met on the wilderness journey听told me I should听just听get out, enjoy myself and socialise.鈥�
The group helped Alistair to feel听accepted and put his past behind him. Outreach workers spoke to the听group听about Maslow鈥檚听hierarchy听of needs (psychological, safety, belonging and self鈥�esteem) and this caused Alister to reflect on how much companionship he missed out on in the past and how important it is to feel a sense of belonging.听听
鈥淥n the wilderness journeys, the group expressed our needs and asked for help. We worked as a team and we had each other鈥檚 back. We helped each other to pitch up tents and got each other cups of tea. We were there for each other. This helped听boost my confidence and want to make connections with new people again, for the first time in a long time鈥�
Returning from the wilderness journey, Alistair听made a lot of effort to turn his life around and improve his mental health.听He听cut down his alcohol intake and now goes for regular walks with friends to stay active. He regularly meets with a fellow veteran he met on the wilderness journey听with 海角社区, and the two encourage each other to听go on spontaneous adventures and听practice their learning from the wilderness trip.听Alistair听has also听completed听training with听听and听is a听mentor听for听other veterans听accessing our services.听听
It has been an听inspiring journey from听Alistair; from听struggling听with his mental health and feeling听so down he didn鈥檛 want to leave听his flat听to now practicing听mindfulness and听regularly听listing听the听things听he听is grateful for听to听stay positive.听听
鈥�I see mindfulness as being grateful for being. Being grateful for being me, for having people around me, and I鈥檓 grateful for the group we had at 海角社区.鈥�听
