Mental Health and Warhammer

Hi everyone! My last couple of posts have been a bit on the gloomy side. So today I wanted to talk about how hobby and Warhammer has helped me manage my mental well-being. The first sub section will have some heavy details about my own journey and recovery, so feel free to skip ahead if you're worried about triggers.

My own kind of crazy

As pretty much everyone knows I'm trans and like many trans people I've had challenges with my mental health throughout my life. Whilst some of those have been addressed through transition, others arise because of it and some you have to learn to live with. For instance, being uncomfortable with my "downstairs" is something I have to learn to manage as surgery is a long way off. I'm also bipolar and have been diagnosed with PTSD both of which can flare up at times.

The anti-trans media and government hostility can make me feel scared and hopeless about the future. If I'm in a down phase things can seem really bad even if that isn't the reality. Inversely, if I'm in an "up" I might make bad decisions that can have long term impacts on my wellness. I also have periods where past trauma can make it difficult to sleep, get on with daily tasks and so on.

Hobby and Health

Building and painting models is something which can be incredibly helpful for our mental health. It's a high focus activity that involves a lot of precision and repetitive action. It activates the same parts of our brain that benefit from other mindful activities such as meditation or drawing.

When you're painting that hero model or gluing together a line of figures, a lot of the time your brain isn't thinking. You're simply immersed in the task at hand and able to put aside any thoughts that might otherwise be sitting with you.

At the same time, it's important to make sure that this remains a comfortable and relaxing activity. It's no good if you feel "pressure" to paint or overwhelmed by the amount of models you have in your collection. Or you might just be in a place where sitting still for a period of time isn't right. If you ever feel like this then consider giving yourself a break from the hobby. Maybe find another activity that feels fun, relaxing and interesting. That could be another crafty hobby, video games or something more active like swimming.

I find painting really useful for levelling out my moods. If I'm feeling too agitated and "up" it can let me take time to slow down. If I'm feeling low, it can give me small manageable tasks that help me feel more positive about myself.

Rolling with it

Playing the game can be just as good! Anyone who has ever struggled with anxiety, or just found themselves without reliable access to social activities, can testify how great Warhammer is for getting you out there.

When I was at my lowest point and really struggling with my mental health, going out to play occasional games of Warhammer helped me get out of the house and talk to people.

Because you're engaged in the game and focused on the hobby it can be much lower stress than other forms of socialising. For example, going to the pub might make you at risk of drinking too much or lunch with family might bring up difficult topics.

You can engage socially and have that human interaction on a level that you're comfortable with. There isn't any pressure to talk about yourself, your personal life or anything else. On the flip side, it can help you make friends who you can rely on for support.

Forging Alliances

Attending events is another great thing you can do for your mental health. Going away for the weekend gives you a little mini break from the same old rut, a chance to have some fun and link up with friends.

The AoS community is such a warm place that it's been really easy to make new friends. I was so anxious about going to my first event. That I wouldn't know anyone, that I wouldn't fit in and so on. I needn't have worried though! It was a great decision and my social life has much improved.

It also important to be aware of anything event related that could take away from your mental health. Does being away from home feel too much right now? Are you worried about being out and about drinking? In the past I've often used substance abuse and hook ups with men as a way to self harm. So before I go away I set firm limits and ask my partner to check in with me regularly when I'm out.

For men in particular, opening up about mental health can be tricky. Often guys pretend everything is fine when it actually isn't. Men also tend to have smaller support networks than women. It's really important that boys in the AoS scene look out for each other and take time to check in, even if it feels a bit awkward. If your friend is acting up, seems a bit worse for wear or just isn't their usual self then make time to check in. It doesn't have to be a big conversation, but try not to pass it off as a joke either.

A small exercise

If you're reading this I'd encourage you to take part in a small exercise. Next time, before you start doing some hobby or playing Warhammer, rate your mood on a scale of 1-10 and write it down. Imagine 1 being absolutely the worst you've felt, and 10 being the best.

Then, when you've finished do the same thing again. Notice which parts of the hobby enliven you and if any seemed to contribute stress.

This might seem silly, but it's a really simple and effective way to understand how to harnass your hobby for better mental health.

Reaching out

Lastly I just want to say, if you're reading this and struggling please reach out. I'm more than happy to talk and support anyone anonymously. Likewise there are a lot of resources out there.

Check out the charities below for further information.

https://www.mind.org.uk/ - Mind large mental health charity with tons of information and resources.

https://www.samaritans.org/ - Samaritans, talk to someone 24/7 about whatever you're going through.

https://switchboard.lgbt/ - Specific contact and support for LGBTQ+ people