This year, 4th-10th October is Occupational Therapy week!

If you’ve heard of Occupational Therapy, you may think about physical health aids such as a commode or guide rails, or maybe basketweaving, but they’re so much more!

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists says:

“Occupational therapists provide practical support to help you do the activities that matter to you. They will consider all of your needs – physical, psychological, social and environmental. Their support can make a real difference giving a renewed sense of purpose, opening up new horizons, and changing the way you feel about the future.”

When mentally ill, you may think you’ll see a psychiatrist or psychologist but the nature of mental illness means a multidisciplinary approach is the best and most successful.

The way that you occupy your time can profoundly impact your mental health. I’ve had contact with occupational therapy during prolonged hospital admissions.

One of the most helpful psychological techniques I’ve used is mindfulness but it can be incredibly difficult, when you mind is sick, to try mindfulness for 10 seconds, let alone a couple of minutes. When most unwell I needed something easier to engage with…

When an occupational therapist first introduced me to colouring, I feared it was a little childish and thought I‘d find it hard to concentrate. But I reserved judgment and gave it a go. I’ve been hooked ever since. Colouring was a simple enough activity, I could engage with it and it enabled me to switch off from my spiralling thoughts. It has a calming effect and therefore reduces symptoms of anxiety without much effort! It can also improve motor skills and vision and also boasts to improve sleep!

Ultimately, mindfulness guides you to be able to focus on your breath but mindful activity can be just as beneficial. Mindful colouring meant I focused my mind; continued practice of mindfulness enables us to remain in the here and now rather than dwelling in the past or worrying about the future.

I was seriously unwell so I had to take medication, work hard in psychotherapy and use a lot of other techniques but colouring was the thing I turned to when I couldn’t muster the strength to do anything else. If I’d used every ounce of energy to get out of bed, showered and dressed, I didn’t have any energy left but I didn’t want to just sit in front of the TV; colouring didn’t require me to use any energy, but it helped keep my mind occupied. It played an important part in me beginning to rebuild my life, 1 tiny step at a time.

Plus, I started to feel quite proud of the results, boosting my self esteem along the way!