Mental health is a tough mountain to climb

Climbing up a mountain might not be your go to when you’re feeling low, but for Sofia, the outdoors has always been helpful when these feelings have bubbled to the surface.

Sofia’s struggled with depression and her mental health since she was a child, but being outside is often where she feels most happy. It’s also why she’s a big advocate for access to green spaces, and wants to share how you can use them as a reset button next time you’re feeling shit.

"I try not to advertise the outdoors as a miracle cure, because even when you’re out there, you can still be battling difficult things.⁠ But being in nature, away from a world of social norms, has always given me perspective and an ability to come back to who I truly am."

But it’s not just a sense of perspective that it offers Sofia, it’s also a space where she thrives on challenging herself:

"Sports can prove to us that progress and strength is possible. That proof can then be transferred into a belief that those things are possible in all areas of life.”

When Sofia’s facing tough stuff with her mental health, it can often feel similar to the challenges she faces when climbing a mountain - the path is sometimes rocky and unpredictable.

"Climbing mountains is a great analogy for any mental health journey, because progress is never totally linear. You don't climb a big mountain in a straight line all the way up, you have to acclimatise.

"That means you climb up, then you come back down, then you go back up a bit more, then you come back down. The path to the most spectacular views always goes up and down."

As well as being an advocate for the outdoors, Sofia wants to help change how mental health is viewed across Asian communities.

"Many of us have come from communities where the concept of ‘mental health’ doesn’t exist. And while I can’t lump multiple diverse people into one culture or tradition, I do feel from my own experience that across many Asian communities, there’s a culture of shame and stigma surrounding mental health issues that ultimately discourages people from seeking the help they need.

“In some places there's an enormous pressure to succeed and demands on young people are very high. The Asian immigrant experience also comes with a great deal of pressure to conform to a model minority stereotype. Older generations learnt to value silence and endurance, because that was the way to survive."

From scaling cliffs above the sea to trekking crazy altitudes in the name of adventure - Sofia’s carving out new paths as a female explorer. But she’s also smashing stigmas when it comes to speaking about her own experiences with depression and mental wellbeing.

“Younger generations are beginning to question some of these values and they’re finding the language to express themselves in ways generations before them didn’t. The stigma is starting to get broken down, because by talking about these problems, more people feel compelled to talk.”

Sofia’s all about embracing life and all its messy bits, whether that’s taking on an awesome once-in-a-lifetime challenge, or just enjoying a kickabout at the local park with your mates.

“Living in a city can be stressful, so I walk everywhere and take the longer route through parks because it draws me out of my mind when I’m feeling claustrophobic in the city. It’s scientifically proven that nature increases well-being. It can reduce stress, promote social interactions and even help generate a sense of meaning in life.

“There are so many stressful triggers indoors or in cities and it can wear you down over time. Getting outside gives me a vital sense of perspective and helps me approach any problems with a clearer head. I believe that access to nature - to simply 'be' there, and enjoy - is a fundamental human right, and for mental health, a necessity.”

You don’t have to hang off the side of a mountain to make a difference, you can literally do anything you love against living miserably. But if you did want to follow in Sofia’s footsteps, you could take on an epic adventure for CALM.

Run the Jurassic coast or climb Snowdon at night - whatever you do, do something you love and support our life-saving services.

Follow Sofia’s amazing adventures on Instagram: @sofjin_