Writing in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, TV presenter Ben Fogle says he changed his life by limiting social media and embracing nature.
I used to strive for perfection. It was, partly, my own drive for personal achievement, but also an ever-increasing societal pressure – borne through social media – to be faster, better and to have more. In 2023, overwhelmed by noise and chaos and the negativity of social media, I had a wobble, a small breakdown, experiencing anxiety and paranoia for the very first time.
There’s a mental health epidemic and its tentacles reach us all. Unfortunately, there remains a stigma that, if you admit to having ever struggled with your mental health, you’re somehow weak and fragile; a precious fruit that must be handled with great delicacy. But, just like a broken bone, our brains can heal with time and patience. Our experiences form a part of who we are and that does not make us weak or vulnerable. We’re moulded and shaped by our past, both good and bad.
My own mental health challenges have made me stronger and more resilient. Those challenges have also given me compassion, a heightened awareness of our fragility and a shared experience with the people I visit in my series New Lives in the Wild, who have often fled a conventional life, turning their backs on the rat race, due to their own mental health struggles.
Some 25 years ago, I was on one of the first reality shows, Castaway, and marooned for a year on a remote Scottish island. That also gave me an empathy for those who have chosen to live a simpler, humbler life. Filming New Lives in the Wild – which is back for a 20th series – I’ve seen how living off-grid in the wilderness has been a help following illness, bereavement, financial troubles or difficulties with mental health.
Our contributors have found a sense of purpose, whether that’s living alone on a crocodile- and snake-infested remote island in Uganda; spending day and night in a small, simple narrowboat on the edge of the Peak District; or moving their family to a “wild west” mountaintop in Montana, USA, where daily life can be a matter of survival. Often they are living a more financially frugal life, some on just a few thousand pounds a year.
The beauty of the series and the reason for its longevity is in its aspirational qualities. That doesn’t mean I hope viewers follow suit and move to Outer Mongolia, but you can take metaphors from our show. The metaphor that I’ve adopted in the past two years is that of simplifying life. We are all in danger of being overwhelmed with noise, materialism and fear. Social media, which has become an avalanche of negativity, fuels hate, encourages constant comparison and adds to the cacophony.
I was an early adopter of social media, but now I use it less and less. I’ve spiked most of my social media apps. I limit the amount of news and current affairs I consume, I listen to upbeat podcasts and watch positive TV shows. Most importantly, I turn off my phone and go for long walks in the countryside with my dogs. I go for runs and I allow my brain to switch off and reboot. I find myself calmer and happier. I worry less, stress less, anger less, fixate less. Suddenly life becomes so much more achievable.
I try to live in the now and focus on the present, but I don’t always succeed. One day I’d like to find a little off-grid cabin of my own, perhaps somewhere in Norway or Sweden – an island in the Arctic Circle sounds nice – where I can disappear into nature. There will be wood to chop and stack, cold early-morning swims, paddles on my Canadian canoe, plenty of dogs and maybe some new skills to learn, like painting or boat-building. In the meantime, I’ll try to shut out the noise and keep my life simple and happy.
