The Vegan Camp Out is the world’s largest Vegan festival comprising camping, music, comedy, activism talks, yoga, fitness and lots and lots of vegan food. Russell Brand was the headline act this year.
This year, Ishani Rao liaised with organisers Ollie and Mel to bring mental health into the frame for the first time. So, as a natural fit with their Mind and Body offering, Ishani encouraged another four plant-based mental health professionals (details below) to take part in a talk entitled, ‘What about my mental health? An open and supportive panel discussion on mental health’.
The format was very relaxed with brief introductions from each of the panellists followed by questions drawn directly from the audience, all skilfully facilitated by Ishani – a natural presenter. These questions were varied and personal. We were all struck by the warmth and authenticity of the thousand faces which respectfully listened and engaged with their comrades and the panel.
Interesting topics included:
How to break addiction and the difficulties the NHS has dealing with this challenge.
Transgenerational trauma and breaking the cycle.
What to do with the anger felt about the treatment of our fellow creatures.
How to work with friends and family who struggle to follow the same path.
Getting through the grieving process.
How to cope with pressures at work in general during these very difficult times.
Whether cyclical bouts of depression are avoidable.
A couple of attendees felt able to share their own initiatives to support individuals with mental health difficulties which accompanied physical illness and addiction.
Each of the panellists responded to the questions from their own clinical and personal experience which naturally incorporated the benefits of eating plants for our fellow earthlings, the environment and our overall health. There was gentle criticism of the ‘dirty vegan’ movement – though often delicious, some of these highly processed offerings were not linked to optimal health, mental or physical. However, this wasn’t a science heavy seminar with the gut-brain axis, neurotransmitters and neural rewiring hardly getting a mention. The importance of humour, creativity, and taking action to connect with our own values and with our communities were all appreciated by this audience as positive ways of coping and fostering collective care. The response was fantastic – all of the panellists were approached on a one-to-one basis after the talk as people wanted to say thank you and ask more specific and personal questions.
It was an exhilarating and uplifting experience. The organisers were delighted to report that this panel was one of the most talked about sessions they had staged! We have an open invitation to return in 2022!
Bios in order of appearance:
Dr Ishani Rao, a GP trainee and emergency doctor, was honoured to host our wonderful panel. She has been vegetarian since the age of 10, and vegan for the last 4 years - it's the only New Year's resolution she has stuck to, and she couldn't be happier! She helped to set up the first vegetarian and vegan society at her university and has always had an interest in mental health. She has volunteered on the eating disorders ward at Bethlem Hospital and is currently campaigning for a better variety of plant-based food in hospitals. In her free time, she enjoys eating cake, fundraising with her charity, Buckets of Love, and has recently published a not-for-profit book of front-line stories called 'National Health Stories - Tales from the front line'.
Dr Jacqui Scott, a clinical psychologist who works both in an NHS community adult mental health team and on the DClinPsy training programme at the University of Hertfordshire, shared her personal journey to becoming vegan and how she now connects her personal values with her clinical work and training. After describing the struggle to maintain a vegan lifestyle as a student, due to social pressures and frequent criticism, she spoke to how such difficulties can affect confidence, relationships, self-worth and ethical injury. In addition to her personal experience, Jacqui draws on theories and research to identify ways to counter such emotional pain. These can come from various channels including choosing the company we keep and the conversations we are ready to engage in; identifying as part of a movement or community with shared ideas, values and actions; and, recognising that even small actions can be meaningful and influential.
Dr Prestina Buggenhout is a doctor working in mental health since 2004 across several countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Scotland and England). Her transition to vegetarianism began in 1994 after reading a book called "Animal Liberation.” This change was quite challenging as she was only 16 and did not have the support of her Belgian parents – her father was quite a big meat eater and there were few meat replacements around at that time. She dropped cow's milk soon after as she noticed that it upset her stomach. She stopped buying leather and never bought honey as she found it too sweet. She started buying biological cheese and free-range eggs not realising that these were still industries that still actually hurt animals. By January 2017 she decided to remove all dairy and finally, her once-a-month salmon dish; she had felt hypocritical telling people that she cared about animals whilst somehow not considering fish an animal. The illusion that wild salmon was not from an industry but just part of maintaining an ecosystem could no longer justify her consumption.
Gemma Davies (MA) is a BACP registered psychotherapist and member of PBHP in private practice (Psychotherapy Plus). She described her journey from intermittent bouts of depression and a shocking rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis at 30, to being plant-powered, mentally resilient and discovering that she could run! Having sailed through the menopause (for which she also credits her diet), she has recently climbed the Three Peaks of Great Britain, a feat she would have thought quite impossible on her former, standard diet. This compelling, empirical evidence linking her plant-based lifestyle to dramatic changes in her mind and body, encouraged Gemma to delve deeper into the physical mechanisms which explain the connection between nutrition and mental health. She formally extended her studies in this area so that she could legitimately integrate this discipline into her clinical work which typically sees clients addressing their nutrition issues alongside their trauma.
Dr Barry Orr, is a clinical psychologist and member of PBHP, working both for an early intervention in psychosis service, and for a long COVID assessment service. Astonishingly, Barry is a veteran of 44 marathons, all fuelled by his plant-based diet and clearly evidencing his 20-year commitment to this lifestyle. He described how, over his career, uniquely within the NHS, he has noticed increasing recognition of the evidence base supporting plant-based interventions. This acceptance has not been without some resistance, requiring curiosity and empathy on both sides of the debate. Personally and professionally, Barry draws upon the frameworks of addiction, cultural norms, self-medication, and grief processing to understand the underlying causes of resistance to healthy, plant-based living. He works tirelessly to encourage conviviality, community spirit and co-operation between all parties.