What does shooting/hunting/reloading do for your mental health?

[theotherwaldo]

I only hunt out of necessity and duty to my family.
Nonetheless, I greatly value the ability to hunt and fish, as there have been times in my life where these skills were a matter of life and death.
I hate to kill anything unnecessarily (except roaches, flies, mosquitoes and opossums) - perhaps because my earliest teacher was an Apache medicine man who taught me that all life was connected and interrelated.
-But - it is shameful not to kill when it is necessary or to kill poorly and allow unnecessary suffering.

I find it soothing to collect and restore weapons and tools from the past and allow them to be used again.
I like reloading all of the various cartridges - at least partially because I am a cheap type.

I have enjoyed being out in the woods. Then again, I have enjoyed being almost everywhere that I have been.
I never expected to live past my teens and those ended long,long ago.
Enjoy it all... .

 

[doubleh]

Well when you can't take most pain meds due to allergies then the VA looks at alternative treatments. And learning how to deal with the constant pain from service connected disabilities was a big help for me. And I was the one to bring up shooting when the doctor asked about things that help me cope with the constant pain.

I would have insisted on seeing a pain management doctor, not a brain management doctor. My wife has been seeing a pain guy for several months now and he has prescribed no pain meds.

 

[12Bravo20]

I would have insisted on seeing a pain management doctor, not a brain management doctor. My wife has been seeing a pain guy for several months now and he has prescribed no pain meds.

Well when the VA is paying for and also providing all of my medical care, then I go with what doctors they send me to. And the VA pain management doctors are all phycologists. And he had no issues what so ever with me going to the range and being around firearms.

 

[doubleh]

Well you do what ya' gotta do when the government is involved. Here is hoping for some pain relief in your future.

I just become annoyed when I feel someone is intruding upon my person feeling. I have no VA experience except what I hear from my son that is 100% disabled. He's pretty happy with their care.

 

[12Bravo20]

Well you do what ya' gotta do when the government is involved. Here' hoping for some pain relief in your future.

I just become annoyed when I feel someone is intruding upon my person feeling. I have no VA experiencer except what I get from my son that is 100% disabled. He's pretty happy with their care.

I last saw the pain management doctor back in 2006 or 2007. I didn't have to see him but for a few appointments since I had a good plan set up. I ruined my knees while in the Army which caused me to also have hip problems. And I also have arthritis and fibromyalgia on top of that. I guess that is what I get from jumping out of perfectly good aircraft along with carrying as much or more weight than what I weighed along with the M60 machine gun.

As far as pain goes, I have good and bad days. Sometimes I can get around fine and other days I can't. So I take advantage of going into the woods, fishing, hunting, and trips to the range when I can.

And I can say that I have been pleased with the care I get from the VA. I too am rated at 100%.

 

[.38 Special]

Anything that you enjoy doing is good for mental health

Tell it to Jeffrey Dahmer.

 

[entropy]

I am less cranky when I get out to shoot regularly. Part of the reason I started shooting Trap over the winter. I used to go to the indoor pistol range to shoot in the winter, shooting Trap and the camaraderie definitely helps my state of mind.