Your environment- its effect on you

white knight · ‎26-10-2014

Maybe I'm on the wrong tram on this. Maybe its because I was a country kid that was forced to grow up in the city, the western suburbs of Melbourne. Every year at xmas time we'd fly over to our relatives in Tasmania. We'd cart hay bales storing them in a barn and milk cows. Collect walnuts from my pop and nanas tree, set rabbit traps and avoid snakes. Then late January I was back in the city. Talk about Mars to Earth and back.

But I didnt realise the negative impact the city had on me. Finally in 1982 after touring the country in the RAAF and many jobs I purchased a bock of land in the country. I didnt own it for long but I realised when I visited that 20 acre block, that I was destined to live in the country. I found peace there and in the end it would prove (for me) that it was an essential part of my ability to maintain managed sanity.

But alas, for many years financial pressure found me back to the city. I found the city too artificial, its concrete, bitumen and smiling faces flooding my brain where I could not determine trust nor fantasy. A place where you live on the edge of falling towards homelessness or rising to greatness...all depending upon luck...or bad luck.

Eventually I found myself, in desperation, living in a country town of 1100 people but I had no work there so was forced to commute 90 minutes one way to the edge of the city. Take my word for it...45 minutes is the maximum you'd ever want to drive one way and you'd need a small diesel car for the task.

One day I got a job nearby my country town.Then I could finally live and relax in my chosen environment where all the stresses of city living wasnt there. No parking meters, high rates, greater risk of crossing the road, less road rage, a slower pace all over, local shop keepers knowing your name. wow. Then the odd casual job carting in hay just like I did as a kid.

When we try to get that "mix" right, you know, that one of therapy, regular doctors appointments,the right medication and a stable and supportive family and friends, we cannot forget our environment as one of the key components of our "formula" to recovery. And if this move was to have financial benefits then that would be a bonus.I've long advocated for those with depression to consider the possibility of giving up work, at least full time as the strain is too much to withstand.

If you do consider it, look for a town 2000-4000 people enough for all the facilities.

Just consider the benefits. Have to go now, gotta feed the Rosellas.

geoff · ‎26-10-2014

dear Tony, I grew up in Melbourne went to a posh school, married and my then wife she had our first child and was doing OK as a builder handyman, but then moved to Bendigo to run a family ( wife's side ) hotel where my wife had our second child, but suffered from PND for our time there, which was about 2-3 years.

We then moved to run another hotel in country Gippsland, where the real trouble began, had head injury, my wife had left me a couple of times and was sacked from the job as manager '83, from there on my real problems began where I'm sure depression was starting, so fast track '14 here I am.

I could never live in Melbourne again, country life is for me, because in the big city, the traffic has increased ten fold, you have to leave a long time to get to any appointment, the hussle and bussle people pushing you, parking is mind boggling, people don't care about what you are doing, insurance is much higher, and yes the pressure is phenomenal.

We can never back track, nor can we change what's happened, sure we can wish that it could, but it won't be able to go all those years ago, but we still suffer from all those years ago, simply because depression can carry on from past to present. Geoff.

dougall · ‎26-10-2014

I agree environment can play a big part on how happy you feel. I was born in Scotland and my parents moved to England when I was 11, I hated it and was teased and bullied, the language difference. I never liked England. I left England for Australia when I was 27, beautiful place to be. Moved to a small rural town, around 14,000 people. Moved with my husband and son, my daughter stayed with her father. In the 7 years I have been here, my anxiety has worsened, lost money on property and my husband left. In the 7 years I have made one friend and only see her when she remembers. It is a tight community and if you are not into sport, fishing, sailing, drinking then there aren't many options left. It is hard to make friends. I love the place it is a beautiful seaside country town, similar to the one I grew up in Scotland. I have recently moved into town from owning a 5acre block which took me 4 hours to mow on a ride on mower. Did most of my thinking on that mower, sometimes not all positive. I don't know what to make of my environment only know that for the past 7 years it has been an uphill battle and now there is no battle as I have no house, no husband, no family, no support group, not quite true, I am renting, have a son and daughter, have support from this site. There is always a positive no matter where you are, even in a hospital the morning after a suicide attempt, the positive, I seen the sun come up.

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Jo3 · ‎26-10-2014

Hi Tony

Great post. I too grew up in the western suburbs of Melbourne. But 18 yrs ago my husband and children and MIL moved to a small bayside town. In winter there is calm, peace and quiet. It's nice to have our town to ourselves. But in summer the tourists come down and I enjoy this time as well. The nights are busy down the street, there is a buzz around town. But I must admit I do love when "they all go home again".

I would never go back to Melbourne to live, we are far enough to visit and stay for a night but I wouldn't go back. The busyness of cars, shopping centres, people, - I can't handle that anymore.

And when I feel stressed where do I go - down the beach, sit myself down and just think how lucky I am to be living in such a beautiful spot. Surrounded by mountains, water and birds. It's a magic place.

I agree Tony that the environment where we live plays a big part on how we feel and how it can affect our mental state of mind.

For anyone living in the cities and need a change - just do it - it is 100 times better for your health, well being and also your wealth!!!

Jo