We, outdoorsy folks, know that participating in outdoor recreation in your urban or suburban community or heading out into the backcountry is essential to our health and well-being. But did you also know many in the mental health industry agree? Read more on how outdoor recreation is an effective tool in managing and reversing the mental health challenges leading to an epidemic of "deaths of despair" from suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related deaths.

"The epidemic of suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related deaths are collectively called “deaths of despair,” which took 200,000 lives in pre-COVID 2019.

Between 2017 and 2019, so many Generation Z youth and Millennial adults lost their lives to deaths of despair that the U.S. life expectancy decreased for the first time in one hundred years.

In addition, according to the CDC, one in five millennials report having no friends, and 56% of Gen Zers report loneliness in the past twelve months, according to the Institute for Family Studies.

Nicholas Kardaras, Ph.D., said, “We’re just not meant to be sedentary, screen-staring, and meaning-devoid creatures,” in his new book, Digital Madness. Kardaras says, “Psychologists have known for decades that the best non-pharmaceutical antidepressant is physical activity—taking a walk, riding a bike, jogging, playing a sport. Anything that gets the body moving also increases serotonin levels and helps to oxygenate the brain.” 

Now more than ever, you owe it to yourself to #GetOutsideAndAdventure as often as you can and work toward adopting an adventure sports lifestyle. AdventureTV is here to show you how to get started, the lives of folks excelling at sports, ways to connect with others in your community, the products that keep you safe and comfortable, and the amazing places you can go to adventure. Subscribe today to ensure exclusive access to premium content, discounts, and free gear and events.

See you on the river or in the backcountry!

Antoinette Lee Toscano