Motorcycling and mental health

Lifetime occurrence of major depressive disorder is 12% on average and forecast by the World Health Organisation to rank first as a disease by 2030.

Various treatments are available, with medication to enhance mood taking centre stage. Yet alternative approaches to pills are regularly cited, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness, exercise etc. Less mentioned is motorcycling which can offer mental health benefits. UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior supported by Harley-Davidson, found this to be the case.

Broadly, through the sense of freedom and escape from daily concerns (‘joys of the open road’), decreased cortisol (stress hormone), heightened alertness through speed-inducing hyperfocus, the light exercise it affords, and the release of happy chemicals in the brain (endorphins), there are benefits to be had. There is even a lasting positive effect 10 minutes after ending an adrenaline-inducing ride.

All this is good news for those wishing to blow away, literally, the dark cobwebs of depression. However, such benefits also need to be moderated by clear risks in terms of accidents, dependency or over-reliance on this activity to the exclusion of other important stuff in people’s lives, and suicide.

According to the University of the Sunshine Coast, Road Safety Collaboration in Australia, besides exhaust inhalation, motor vehicle suicides may account for between 1.1% and 7.4% of road crashes. An example of this phenomenon in the UK came in 2020, when an inquest ruled that Isle of Man radio presenter, Clive McNeil’s crash at Hillberry Corner, on Mountain Road, was suicide.

In my novel, The Wonders of Doctor Bent, I explore this darker aspect of motorcycling. The worlds of Jason Hemp, an English lecturer, and Dr Bent, the unlikely Medical Director of high-security psychiatric hospital Foston Hall, come together in a dark tale of murder, revenge and abandonment.

Attempting to track down his twin brother’s killer, Jason finds his life unravelling in unexpected and frightening ways, whilst visionary Dr Bent attempts to reform Foston Hall into a more humane place through what staff call ‘his wonders’, all while facing his own mental health challenges. Self-medicating by riding his Harley-Davidson motorbike recklessly, he is a wounded healer trying to survive and help others at the same time.

In the novel, Dr Bent battles with his dark mood as he approaches every corner at speed, deciding whether to turn in or chance oblivion by succumbing to a compulsion to crash. Most of the time, he finds the self-medication lifts his mood but not always. As the novel unfolds so does the tension about whether he will turn or not turn on his next run.

The reviews so far suggest that The Wonders of Doctor Bent is as gripping as a motorcycle tyre on the dry road.

"Crawford is a master storyteller. The Wonders of Doctor Bent covers deep and dark themes in a compelling and highly engaging manner. Be prepared to be taken on a thrilling adventure that delves into the very essence of what makes us human...” - Professor Ahmed Hankir, Consultant Psychiatrist, and author of The Breakthrough

"A most intriguing book, never read anything quite like it! … a real page turner with so much professional insight into mental health issues” - Elizabeth Fothergill CBE

"Brooding, brilliant and beautiful." - Dave Chawner, standup and TV comedian, mental health campaigner and author of Weight Expectations

"A beautifully written and engaging psychological thriller that will keep you thinking long after the final page… With impeccable prose and a thought-provoking plot, this dark literary thriller not only captivates fans of the genre but also offers profound value to those with lived experience of or an interest in mental health, shedding light on the complexities of compassion and accountability." - Dr David Crepaz-Keay, Mental Health Foundation

“A moving tale of loss and love. Jason Hemp breaks down after his perfect brother is murdered and Dr Bent, an imperfect, thrill-seeking, motorcycle-riding healer, fights to transform the humiliating state of the public services. His revolutionary changes are undermined, and he is left wondering what it is all for, and resolves to repair his own dark wounds...” - Kam Bhui CBE, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oxford

"A brilliantly written thriller which draws us into the dire consequences of adverse childhood experiences. It poignantly reveals the potential for recovery." - Gene Beresin MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

"Moving storytelling and vivid characters take the reader on an emotional journey of grief, loss, and love. Though the themes are dark this novel is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. Crawford at his very best." - Thomas Curran, Leading psychologist and author of The Perfection Trap

The Wonders of Doctor Bent is available at Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, Foyles, Cranthorpe Millner, and all good bookshops. Author website: www.paulcrawfordauthor.com