Archery and mental health questions

2283 Views 25 Replies 19 Participants Last post by Guigood, 20 h ago

Giantsnarf

Discussion Starter · 6 mo ago

Hey all!

Might be a long shot, but I’m looking for research papers on the effectiveness of archery (or orther like sports) on mental health/wellness. Any recommendations?

background:
I spent 22 years in the USAF. I found archery Later in my career, and beyond just a fun hobby/sport to enjoy with my daughter, I found that practice really helped center me mentally. On the days I got to shoot there was a noticeable change in mood/tolerance, and overall resilience that I did not have when I went to the gym (and I went often).
So the question is… what link is there (if any) between archery (or similar repetitive/high concentration sports/activities) that promotes good mental health dispositions?

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AzureSkydiver

· #2 · 6 mo ago

Read Josh Waitzkin's book "The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance". He delves pretty deeply into the mental and resiliency aspects of both sports that he's been involved in: chess and competitive tai chi. (Yes, it's the same Josh Waitzkin from the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" about the child chess prodigy.)

Also Brian Enos' books about action pistpl shooting also delves deep into the mental aspects of shooting, but he takes a more zen approach. Resilience comes built-in with his approach because he recommends being aware of what's happening, but not trying to actively control things.

Also Dr. Sanjay Gupta has a podcast called "Chasing Life". He's had a few episodes regarding mental health and it's relationship with exercise (and diet), the environment we live in, and how we frame our perception of the world we live in.

Dark Sun

· #3 · 6 mo ago

I'm not aware of any research papers but at our range we have two groups (Wounded Warriors) and a group with kids that have mental issues that come out to practice. Each with his/her own "coach". It seems to really help the students with developing skills, focus, etc.

Hikari

· #4 · 6 mo ago

Here is one study: The Effects of Archery as a Sports Branch on Coping with Stress

If you Google your question, you find a lot of popular articles on the topic. Unfortunately, most don't point to the research. I, too, find archery very meditative and does reduce my stress and improves my mental heath--Asians have long recognized the benefits of practicing a martial art or creative art on well being.

However, archery is a competitive sport. That high-pressure activity can have the opposite outcome. Here is an archer talking about her struggles from competitive archery: Interview: Sarah Bettles (Bow International) Naturally, target panic is also a negative mental health outcome in archery.

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Brian N

· #5 · 6 mo ago

Can't help you with specific research concerning archery, but perhaps you should expand your search into other hobbies and activities and mental health. My feeling is archery articles are too small a niche to draw from. If there is a local university or college near you, and you have access, the librarian may be a great help. Good luck in your search.

Draven Olary

· #6 · 6 mo ago (Edited)

Giantsnarf said:
Hey all!

Might be a long shot, but I’m looking for research papers on the effectiveness of archery (or orther like sports) on mental health/wellness. Any recommendations?

Archery, as a "one action skill" will not help you with the mental health by itself. It is true that as long as you are learning a skill, the activity is good for your mental health but how you evaluate yourself during this period is as important and this evaluation is not activity dependant - it's personality traits dependant. If you want to do some research on how to improve your mental health (inside archery or not) I would recommend Andrew Huberman youtube channel.

This might be a good start:

NockWorst

· #7 · 6 mo ago

For me, archery makes one concentrate on the target and making the shot. The most important thing is between one's ears.

Hobby Shooter

· #8 · 6 mo ago

I can't refer you to any specific research papers on archery and its impact on mental health, but as Brian N. mentioned, archery being as "small" a sport as it is, there may not be any articles on the relationship between the two. However, as a mental health professional, I would suggest that the research you seem to be looking for may not be necessary for your own purposes. If it is as helpful to you as mention, the research may be irrelevant. What is more important is that it works for you. Anything that helps center you and improve your own mental health is much better than any research you may find on the subject. The simple fact seems to be that it works for you, that is the significant factor. Also, why it works may not be an important factor either, it simply does. With that in mind, I would recommend that you continue to pursue it and enjoy the benefits you derive from it. It sounds like you have found something that so many people continually look for but don't find, a way to really enjoy something while deriving multiple benefits from it. I would suggest you simply enjoy it for what it is, a real benefit for you.

If you really need some idea of why it may be working for you, it may be that, as you posted, when you practice archery, you were totally focused on archery and let the rest of the world just fade away. This is akin to a deep meditative state which has certainly been connected to improved mental health and there are numerous research articles on that relationship. As you practiced, you let the worries and concerns of the day fade into the background and just stayed "in the moment" while you were practicing, that in itself is a good technique for improving your mental health. It helped you become focused, your concentration improved, your mood improved and you became much more "centered", all of which improve your mental health. One area to explore if you want a bit more information, would be to look at the area of Mindfulness which seems to be gaining status in the field of mental health.

I also hope that your 22 years in the USAF were as enjoyable as my 20 years in the USAF were! Enjoy your archery!

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"TheBlindArcher"

· #9 · 6 mo ago

Giantsnarf said:
Hey all!

Might be a long shot, but I’m looking for research papers on the effectiveness of archery (or orther like sports) on mental health/wellness. Any recommendations?

background:
I spent 22 years in the USAF. I found archery Later in my career, and beyond just a fun hobby/sport to enjoy with my daughter, I found that practice really helped center me mentally. On the days I got to shoot there was a noticeable change in mood/tolerance, and overall resilience that I did not have when I went to the gym (and I went often).
So the question is… what link is there (if any) between archery (or similar repetitive/high concentration sports/activities) that promotes good mental health dispositions?

In the coming months our club is going to start working with a VA residential program, and sorry I don't remember the name/acronym, using archery as part of their rehab program, so you might look to the VA for some direction as to possible research projects related to mental health and archery/repetitive activities.

lcaillo

· #10 · 6 mo ago

Why would one expect archery to be different in its effects on mental health than other activities?

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AzureSkydiver

· #11 · 6 mo ago

This maybe an apocryphal anecdote: I heard that there was a string of suicides by some top level pistol and rifle shooters many years ago. Something about the pressures of training and needing to perform at high levels all the time. I don't recall any names or dates for me to try to verify the story.

Viper1

· #12 · 6 mo ago

G -

Correlations between mental health and physical exercise / socialization have been written up quite a bit.
Pretty much accepted/common knowledge at this point.

Google it.

Viper1 out.

Hikari

· #13 · 6 mo ago (Edited)

lcaillo said:
Why would one expect archery to be different in its effects on mental health than other activities?

Because it can be different from other activities. There are studies on sports and personality traits and psychology on performance. Well, I am sure futsal or speed climbing would offer benefits to mental health, I am not sure they offer the same benefits as archery. There are reasons people gravitate to one particular activity over another. Archery would be good for those with autistic traits, but probably not so good for those with ADHD ones. Naturally, there is not a clear divide: I am sure there are folks with ADHD in archery, but they probably don't reflect same prevalence in the general population.

Yes, sports overall have positive mental health outcomes. I am not sure specific sports have the same benefits to everyone. And this would be true for activities broadly: I do things that other's find frustrating or boring. (Like archery!

)

I think the OP is wondering why archery is so much more effective than his experience with gym exercises.

lcaillo

· #14 · 6 mo ago

Mental health and the way activities interact with it have much more to do with the individual than the activity itself. There are certainly differences in where and how attention and locus of control must be managed with different kinds of activities that may show some trends, but the individual is by far the greater variable.

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lees

· #15 · 6 mo ago (Edited)

Tell you what, if I were a graduate student in a sports field, a social science or even medicine, this could be a good dissertation topic. Given how little literature there is on it, if someone could come up with a way to investigate it scientifically, it could end up as a good career....

My observation is the same as the other guys. It seems that most info about the mental/emotional benefits of archery is generally subjective, but given the similarities in many of our reports, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a science behind what we all experience. Like Viper said, the general association between mental health and physical activities is pretty widely known already. So focusing (no pun intended) on archery specifically could be an interesting line of research.

If only I were a young man again with still half a brain, I'd be over at A&M, seeing if I could talk to Frank about that as a course of study. But now that I'm old and the brain damage has taken over and schools don't want me......

I know in my personal experience, when I first learned I had cancer a few years ago, shooting was the only thing that was capable of penetrating the constant terror. The only thing that turned the horror off at all was driving down to the shop and shooting. I shot so much I actually got into the mid 290's (vegas face) in my scores. As dreadful of a shooter as I am generally, that was a monumental achievement to go that far....

So there's definitely something to it from my own personal (subjective) experience. But the social science literature on it I agree is pretty limited....

lee.

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Viper1

· #16 · 6 mo ago

Lee -

Archery is a niche sport or hobby with very few people doing it seriously. The archery trade/industry is kept alive by bowhunters, not by what we do. That's why there's little literature specifically on it.

The mistake that's being made by the usual suspects, is that archery is inherently different than any other sport or hobby.. To think otherwise is egotistical bordering on arrogant. And as I said above, there's tons of literature on the effects of physical activity and socialization on mental health.

Viper1 out.

Reactions: 1

abastedo75

· #17 · 6 mo ago

AzureSkydiver said:
Read Josh Waitzkin's book "The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance". He delves pretty deeply into the mental and resiliency aspects of both sports that he's been involved in: chess and competitive tai chi. (Yes, it's the same Josh Waitzkin from the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" about the child chess prodigy.)

Also Brian Enos' books about action pistpl shooting also delves deep into the mental aspects of shooting, but he takes a more zen approach. Resilience comes built-in with his approach because he recommends being aware of what's happening, but not trying to actively control things.

Also Dr. Sanjay Gupta has a podcast called "Chasing Life". He's had a few episodes regarding mental health and it's relationship with exercise (and diet), the environment we live in, and how we frame our perception of the world we live in.

Great information

lcaillo

· #18 · 6 mo ago

lees said:
Tell you what, if I were a graduate student in a sports field, a social science or even medicine, this could be a good dissertation topic. Given how little literature there is on it, if someone could come up with a way to investigate it scientifically, it could end up as a good career....

My observation is the same as the other guys. It seems that most info about the mental/emotional benefits of archery is generally subjective, but given the similarities in many of our reports, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a science behind what we all experience. Like Viper said, the general association between mental health and physical activities is pretty widely known already. So focusing (no pun intended) on archery specifically could be an interesting line of research.

If only I were a young man again with still half a brain, I'd be over at A&M, seeing if I could talk to Frank about that as a course of study. But now that I'm old and the brain damage has taken over and schools don't want me......

I know in my personal experience, when I first learned I had cancer a few years ago, shooting was the only thing that was capable of penetrating the constant terror. The only thing that turned the horror off at all was driving down to the shop and shooting. I shot so much I actually got into the mid 290's (vegas face) in my scores. As dreadful of a shooter as I am generally, that was a monumental achievement to go that far....

So there's definitely something to it from my own personal (subjective) experience. But the social science literature on it I agree is pretty limited....

lee.

Read Csikszentmihalyi’s work on flow and subsequent work regarding meaningfulness. It is not the specific activity but how we approach it. As Viper said there is plenty of research and evidence to support the value of engaging in activities that challenge us. If archery does it for you then we have something in common. No reason to assume it is any better than something else for any individual.

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Reactions: 2

Stash

· #19 · 6 mo ago

“In Pursuit of Excellence” by Terry Orlick. It’s available on line as a free PDF. Worth a look.

Not archery-specific, but was recommended reading to us on the Canadian archery team back in the old days.

matt flint

· #20 · 6 mo ago

Be interesting to see some studies.
Shooting absolutely helps my mental health. Hunting even more so.

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