As if the daily step count of walking his round each day wasn’t enough, Bodmin postie Scott Cavill decided to push his daily steps even further and take up long distance running to support his mental health.
Scott has worked as a post person for 32 years. After years of putting on a smiley persona for the people on his rounds and for his colleagues, he discovered he had stored up his troubling feelings for too long which resulted in a breakdown at work in 2018.
Scott told Bodmin Life: “For many years I stored all my problems away only suffering alone, trying to put on a smile and pretending to everyone that everything was ok, but behind the smile it was a different story , the trouble was one day it was like the bubble burst and I couldn't pretend I was ok no more.”
By opening up to his work, friends and colleagues, Scott discovered a whole support network that is now continually offering support, advice and a listening and caring ear when needed.
Many people within his support network encouraged his decision to take up his latest hobby of running, a skill that Scott has developed at an incredibly impressive rate and one that he values as positively impacting his wellbeing.
Scott said: “When I run, my mind doesn’t think about those things because all it wants to do is just run and listen to music, which is something else I like to do.”
From his first 5k in Cardinham Woods to being the No.1 entry to the Bodmin Beast Marathon only a few years later (thanks to a friend of his that sweetly ‘tricked’ him into signing up), Scott has gained some impressive achievements and some rather lovely looking medals!
When entering the competitive runs Scott pushes through a range of anxieties which includes being in crowds of people and therefore, he finishes with a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction for a variety of reasons.
However, Scott’s battle with his mental health is ongoing.
Scott’s story is not about a quick fix mental health trick but one that recognises the importance of opening up and talking about your problems to friends, family and colleagues.
It highlights the support that should be provided by all workplaces, the effort required to take positive steps in supporting one’s own mental health.
It is also a reminder of the longer journeys some people may be on to improve their wellbeing but the incredibly positive impact a smile and a few extra moments of encouragement and support can have on any one of us!
If you are concerned about your mental health then contact your local GP and reach out to local support groups such as, Man Down, Cornwall Mind and The Wellness Hub.