Fishing and Mental Health: A New Study Shows It Could Save Lives
When I came across this study, it really hit home. Through all my troubles, tribulations, and hard times, fishing has always been there for me. It’s given me peace when I needed it most and helped me stay grounded when life got heavy.
Now, it turns out there’s solid science to back that up. A recent study from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Tackling Minds shows that fishing doesn’t just help you relax — it could actually save lives.
Below is the full article from ARU, showing just how powerful time on the water can be for mental health. It’s proof of what so many of us already know deep down: being outdoors heals the mind, body, and soul.
Fishing could ease severe mental health issues – survey
Study found anglers were less likely to self-harm, report anxiety or attempt suicide
ARU Press Office
24 November 2022
A new survey of UK adults suggests that recreational fishing could help people suffering serious mental health problems.
Research carried out by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), Angling Direct Plc, and the charity Tackling Minds surveyed approximately 1,900 UK adults online.
Of those people who said they participated in recreational fishing, significantly fewer stated that they suffered from anxiety disorder (16.5% versus 26.4%), had attempted suicide (7.5% versus 13.2%), and engaged in deliberate self-harm (10.4% versus 20.6%) compared to those who do not fish.
The main motivators for fishing were the challenge of fishing and to relax, with no difference in motivators for fishing being shown among anglers with disabilities compared to anglers without disabilities.
Results from a separate study by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, also found that fishing participation is similar between anglers with disabilities and anglers without disabilities, suggesting the pastime is relatively accessible. However, barriers such as costs, lack of transport, or lack of companions to fish with were more commonly reported by people with disabilities.
In 2021, Tackling Minds was successful in its campaign for angling to be recognized as an official social prescribing activity on the NHS, thanks to its many mental health and wellbeing benefits.
Tackling Minds’ founder, David Lyons, said:
“We have been told on numerous occasions by our service users that if it were not for the fishing sessions, they don’t think they’d be alive today. To now have scientific evidence to back up what we’ve been saying all along, is unbelievable, to say the least. The wider implications this research will have, not only in the angling sector, but also mental health provision will be amazing to see.”
Lee Smith, Professor of Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said:
“Recreational fishing is very popular in the UK, with about 2 million people taking part in the pastime in 2019. Our published study found that it is an accessible sport, despite the presence of some barriers.
“We know from previous studies that exposure to aquatic environments, known as blue spaces, is associated with improved mental health and wellbeing.
“The work we have carried out has highlighted that individuals who fish have lower levels of diagnosed anxiety disorder, suicide attempts and instances of deliberate self-harm compared to those who did not fish.
“This would suggest that encouraging participation in fishing could be a good dual-method strategy for both promoting relaxation and good mental health as well as encouraging increased levels of physical activity within those with mental health issues such as anxiety disorder.”
Source:
Originally published by the Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) Press Office on November 24, 2022.
👉 Read the full article on ARU’s official website
Let’s Talk About It — Join Me on the BajaTroy Reviews Podcast
I’ve lived this truth myself — when life gets tough, Blue Spaces! The sound of the water, the focus of the line, and that connection to nature can do wonders for the mind.
That’s what I talk about on my Baja Troy Reviews Podcast — the power of the outdoors, real stories from people who’ve found peace in nature, and how we can all share that good energy with others.
If you’ve got a story about how fishing or the outdoors helped you through hard times, I’d love to have you on the show. Let’s talk about it, share it, and keep spreading the good news that being outside really can change lives.
🎧 BajaTroy Reviews Podcast
https://www.youtube.com/@BAJATROYREVIEWS
📧 Email: bajatroyreviews@gmail.com
Let’s keep the conversation going — because somewhere out there, someone needs to hear that hope is still alive and waiting by the water’s edge.
0 comments