How curious I thought, as latest figures flashed up on my online newspaper this morning. I almost dropped my tablet. The ONS had published their latest report on personal well-being in the UK. And who doesn’t like a stat or two? Well, these were sobering messages, I must say – our collective wellbeing is in big trouble.
I am not the first, not the last, to think things have worsened since the pandemic hit in 2020. Before then, I feel we knew there was a risk of such matters; our previous experience though had lulled us into thinking the worst wouldn’t actually happen. But in this case, it did. And some. What has changed since is everyone’s relationship with the concept of anxiety. Young people are thought to be under epidemic levels of unease. Over a quarter (27%) of women, according to the ONS, reported high levels of anxiety (up from 22% in 2016), compared to one in five men. Everyone is talking about it, anxiety that is, and the media and internet is saturated with these notions and concerns, without counter-balancing with useful solutions and support.
The good news is there are pockets of improvement. Apparently, from April 2022 to March 2023, inhabitants of the Outer Hebrides were less anxious than anywhere else, despite (as the newspaper said) “having to put up with dramatic weather, no internet, and lots of sheep”. Sounds ideal, I thought.
I began to wonder if it was sheep that were having a calming effect, or was it the elemental nature of notable weather, or indeed was it the lack of conspiratorially curated online content that was to be credited with such positive effects? Maybe it was heady cocktail of all three.
A huge 80% of the Hebridean population was reported to be happy, a stark contrast to the rest of the country who, it was reported have seen life satisfaction and happiness “plunging”, whilst anxiety levels have reportedly sky-rocketed. All of Scotland it appeared bucked the UK trend in general. Anything to do with the shifts in their politics? That’s for you to decide.
Improvements aren’t limited to the outer reaches of Scotland, however. There appears to be grounds for optimism in mid Sussex, the Malverns, and Colchester. I wondered how many sheep there were in these locations, what the weather was like, and how effective their broadband was. Estate agents should enlighten me. Could we be seeing a pattern here? In contrast, things have been decreasing in parts of Hertfordshire and Hampshire (where hurricanes hardly ever happen according to Professor Higgins) and Worthing in West Sussex.
Beyond location, agriculture, and climate, there is the matter of self-reported health – which looks like it has more impacts on life satisfaction than any other characteristic. And so, I also wondered if the length of NHS waiting lists was directly connected with happiness scales.
What to do? Well, I am off to the farm, in the rain, without my tablet right now, and I shall let you know how I get on. If, that is, I return!
Find Joy in the Middle 