For many people who struggle with their mental health, it can be a daunting task to even leave the house. Crippling anxiety about leaving your safe place can be paralysing. This can lead to you losing your connections to others and the outside world, leading to terrible isolation.
This was the situation 50-year-old David Eyre, found himself in. After suffering for most of his life with severe anxiety and depression, David became confined to his home, the only human contact he had was from his parents. Although they were very supportive and provided comfort and solace on his dark days, it was difficult for them to help him find those connections in his wider community. For many years, he couldn’t see any light at the end of his dark tunnel.
Finally in late 2023, he took the brave step into stepping out of his comfort zone and trying something new. He met one of Support Staffordshire’s Volunteering for All Officers at his local Job Centre and they began to support him in his volunteering journey. They put him in touch with Trent and Dove Housing, who run several successful projects throughout Burton and East Staffordshire. David happy to share his story with us.
“Before I started volunteering, my confidence was completely shattered. I wanted to start being more independent and not have to rely on my parents for everything. But I just didn’t know how. I’d been through so much and although I wanted to try and move past it, I found it hard to take the first step. When I went to Trent and Dove, I started off slowly doing 1 day a week. I also found it hard to communicate with people and building relationships so it wasn’t easy. However, they were really supportive and helped me build up my confidence and skills step by step. Eventually I began to settle in and grow in confidence and gradually over time I loved being there so increased the amount of time I volunteered to 3 or 4 days a week.”
When asked how volunteering had impacted his life, David talked about how he had seen the benefits on his wellbeing. “It’s definitely given me so much more confidence. I’m now able to talk and communicate with people more easily. I get to speak to lots of different people when I volunteer so that gives me the opportunity to build my skills, I am even able to answer the telephone which I wouldn’t have been able to do before. Volunteering has also improved both my mental and physical health, my anxiety has lessened and my blood pressure has even gone down. It’s even enabled me to go out and do other thing, I couldn’t before. I’ve attended counselling and even have started to go out more. Me and my Dad now play snooker together once a week and I love it. I definitely don’t feel so lonely.”
Another thing that volunteering has David is aspirations for the future. David has been able to attend training through Acorn Training and through this has developed his ambition. “I have started to gain some independence now and want to continue to build on this to do more things by myself, without having to rely on others, especially my mum and dad. I also want to get a paid job and earn my own money and have started to think about jobs I’d like to do and be good at. Before I didn’t think this was possible but now, I feel like I can at least try and achieve this. I still need to take baby steps but can now at least see myself moving forward.”
David is so grateful to have found his place at Trent and Dove. His story highlights how volunteering can provide the bridge back into the community and help you find your way out of your dark lonely tunnel. Sometimes when you give, you get more in return and helping end your isolation is one of the best gifts you can receive.
