There was even a 2010 study conducted by Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) to see if participants in the study, who suffered from various mental health issues ranging from depression to schizophrenia, could improve their mental health after getting stoked on surfing. According to Joe Taylor, who oversaw the program, in an article for ESPN, “the improvement was particularly significant in some cases in terms of self-esteem and having fun.” The improvements were attributed to both the physical act of surfing and the benefits of physical fitness to boost your mood and increase positive feelings, and also to the concept of being “stoked,” or in the zone. In fact, the Jimmy Miller Foundation, founded in memory of surfer and surf teacher Jimmy Miller, is “dedicated to creating and providing activities and programs to help others with mental and emotional illness benefit regularly from the therapeutic and healing powers of the ocean.”
