Cold Water Swimmer
When his local pool was closed, a friend suggested to Dr. Mark Harper that he try swimming in the chilly sea off Brighton (UK). 13 years on, and Harper dives in, year round, even on Christmas Day (without a wetsuit!). His pioneering research suggests ‘cold water adaptation’ helps you stay healthy and happy. Incredibly, a regular dip could help fight conditions like common colds, diabetes, chronic stress, and even depression.
Team GB Olympic Athlete When 20-year old Jack Green stumbled over a hurdle during the 2012 London Olympics, his dream and his mind exploded. ‘I couldn’t do one run without feeling awful.’ Green descended into depression, contemplating suicide. During an 18-month break he learned to control his self-destructive perfectionism. ‘I never fell out of love […]
Psychotherapist – ‘Dare to be You’ Depression is not an illness, says Sharon Eden, it is part of the human condition. And Eden knows, having worked as a psychotherapist for 30 years, as well as having her own depressive and suicidal episodes. ‘If you act with it, it can be the most precious time in […]
Writer, Lecturer and Activist Award-winning journalist Andrew Solomon always thought he was tough. But a series of losses, including the assisted suicide of his cancer-suffering mum, plunged him into a deep depression, which then morphed into ripping anxiety. ‘It was eating me alive.’ Driven to try and understand his condition, Solomon interviewed numerous fellow sufferers […]
Entertainer, Mental Health Activist, Author of “Frazzled” Having suffered bouts of depression from age 13, it wasn’t until after the birth of her first daughter that world-famous comedian Ruby Wax realized it was ‘not a virus’. Multiple institutionalizations, an MA in Mindfulness, and two books later, Wax now tours with her searingly funny and personal account […]
Badminton champion Gail Emms was at the top of her game when she started hating it. But she saw talking about that ‘as a weakness’. Coming from a sporty family, Emms had started playing badminton aged four. When the former badminton World Champion and Olympic silver medallist eventually retired in 2008, she spiralled into bouts […]
