Is shooting good for mental health?

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Bshooter20

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Joined
Jun 16, 2021
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I've just seen an advert promoting getting out into nature to help improve mental health. It got me thinking, surly shooting, be it clay, driven, rough shooting, stalking or any other kind forces people to get out into nature to enjoy their sport? Even more so if you have a working dog.

So why are so many forces quick to remove guns at the slightest sign of some mental stress? Now I'm not talking about the obvious situations when people have deep depression and suicidal thoughts ect.

But surely people who have things like anxiety and who have consulted thier doctors and on a course of meds ect. Should be encouraged to get out and go shooting if they have guns.

Be interested to hear people's thoughts on this.
 
Bshooter20 said:
I've just seen an advert promoting getting out into nature to help improve mental health. It got me thinking, surly shooting, be it clay, driven, rough shooting, stalking or any other kind forces people to get out into nature to enjoy their sport? Even more so if you have a working dog.

So why are so many forces quick to remove guns at the slightest sign of some mental stress? Now I'm not talking about the obvious situations when people have deep depression and suicidal thoughts ect.

But surely people who have things like anxiety and who have consulted thier doctors and on a course of meds ect. Should be encouraged to get out and go shooting if they have guns.

Be interested to hear people's thoughts on this.
Click to expand...
Are forces removing guns at the slightest sign of mental stress?
 
PeeJay said:
Are forces removing guns at the slightest sign of mental stress?
Click to expand...

Seems to be force dependent like a lot of this mess.

Kent is one of the worst from what I've read, they've stated they have a "zero tolerance policy on risk". Given there's no such thing as "zero risk" when anyone holds a certificate you can read what you like into that.
 
The whole issue of mental illness is much too complicated to broad brush , saying encouraging people to go out shooting would help them has no real validity , it might , or it might not .

The risk assessment is for public safety , not personal well being . Being devils advocate that’s a fight you’ll never win , a fly rod would get you out in the country side a lot easier than a shotgun will .

A lot of people have had or will need treatment for depression after life events , bereavements , redundancy , divorce etc . A lot of certificate holders have declared previous cases , and still do .

On the the subject of receiving new treatment for depression ( firearms flag on NH record ) or still being treated during the application/ renewal process , then every case reviewed should be different. The FEO will ask why a person required the treatment , but at the end of the day they are not psychologists , they can’t predict an outcome , so we’re back to public safety .

The difference today I suppose is that previously Mr X could receive anti depressants for six months after his wife left him , and the first the police knew about was some years later at renewal , all done and dusted , he’s over it . With the Firearms Flag the Doc can notify the police 5 minutes after the patient has left the surgery so the onus is now on them ?
 
My mental health is not in any way in peril. I would say that having a hobby and sport that gets me outdoors, seeing friends, competing, having a laugh and generally enjoying myself (and others, hopefully) is one more thing to be happy about.
 
Certainly works well for my mental health, even when I've had a mare and been very disappointed with my performance. It's good to get out and take focus away from life and put it 100% into doing something relatively menial like shooting at little black discs.

I shoot with a lot of older folk who, if it weren't for their interactions with others on a Sunday morning, would have very little interaction with people outside of their immediate bubble. Some who have been bereaved or widowed wouldn't get much interaction at all if it weren't for their shooting.

I've also stopped reading, watching or listening to any mainstream news or media. That's had one of the biggest positive effects on my mental health. As one single person there is very little I can do to affect current world events so they may as well not exist in my mind. I did this about six months into the covid pandemic, carried on with life as usual and never looked back.
 
MartynB said:
The whole issue of mental illness is much too complicated to broad brush , saying encouraging people to go out shooting would help them has no real validity , it might , or it might not .

The risk assessment is for public safety , not personal well being . Being devils advocate that’s a fight you’ll never win , a fly rod would get you out in the country side a lot easier than a shotgun will .

A lot of people have had or will need treatment for depression after life events , bereavements , redundancy , divorce etc . A lot of certificate holders have declared previous cases , and still do .

On the the subject of receiving new treatment for depression ( firearms flag on NH record ) or still being treated during the application/ renewal process , then every case reviewed should be different. The FEO will ask why a person required the treatment , but at the end of the day they are not psychologists , they can’t predict an outcome , so we’re back to public safety .

The difference today I suppose is that previously Mr X could receive anti depressants for six months after his wife left him , and the first the police knew about was some years later at renewal , all done and dusted , he’s over it . With the Firearms Flag the Doc can notify the police 5 minutes after the patient has left the surgery so the onus is now on them ?
Click to expand...
I'm in no way saying that shooting is the fix all solution. And I'm definitely not saying give out certificates to people who are deeply depressed and suicidal. Obviously public safty has to always come first.
The point I was making that shooting give people the opportunity to get out into nature. Yes you could go finishing, but finishing is a more solitary sport. Shooting as part of a club comes with a great social aspect that can't be over looked. And if anything should be encouraged should someone wish to take up the sport
 
FESkent said:
I know I will never be a world champion, the social side of going to the local clay club and enjoying good company in the countryside is a win in itself.
Click to expand...
100% agree with this sentiment. Am I ever going to be better than average probably not but I guarantee I’m having more fun than 90% of others 😂. It’s my version of going to the pub. It’s a social thing for me combined with the marginal excersise of walking round the ground in the countryside. Unless we go to Grimsthorpe and hire a golf cart 🤣
 
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