Interview with Dartmouth Professor William Torrey: Mental Health, the Outdoors, and Why We Need Each Other

“One in five people will have issues in a given year,” said Dr. William C. Torrey, a psychiatrist and professor at Dartmouth. “Half of all people will experience mental health challenges at some point in their lifetime.” Rather than being rare or unusual, mental illness is common and often long-lasting. Dr. Torrey explained that many psychiatric conditions are not short-term problems that disappear with treatment. “Most psychiatric issues are persistent vulnerabilities,” he said. Mental health care, then, is not just about fixing an acute crisis. It is often about managing a lifelong condition.

Some problems do require immediate attention. “Acute problems need to get cared for,” Dr. Torrey said. But he emphasized that most health challenges fall into a different category. “Most health issues are passive problems that we have to manage ourselves,” he explained. That is why the way people understand and relate to their care is so important. “We are drivers of how things go,” he said. People need to learn how to manage their own health in an active, informed way.

Dr. Torrey spoke about the value of learning how emotional states work. He praised Mental Health First Aid, a program that teaches people how to respond to emotional distress. “It’s helpful in a first-aid kind of way,” he said. “It helps people learn how to respond to themselves.” Programs like this can give people a basic understanding of mental health and prepare them to help themselves and others when they are struggling.

Young people, in particular, often need help gaining perspective. “A young person can feel like life is going to be this way from now on,” he said. When someone is struggling, it can feel permanent. Dr. Torrey believes that one key to resilience is learning how to step back and ride through difficult times. “Part of it is that each of us has our own life to live,” he said. “It’s our time.” Helping young people see that they have choices and opportunities is one of the most powerful things we can do.

He stressed that getting through hard times alone is extremely difficult. “It is very hard to get through on your own,” he said. “Getting professional help early really matters.” He noted that having a good experience with a counselor early on can provide important tools and support. Early intervention can make a big difference in how someone handles future challenges.

Dr. Torrey also talked about the importance of avoiding harmful substances. “Obviously there are things to avoid like drugs,” he said. “Cannabis can get people quite ill.” Although every person has to make their own choices, he warned that substances can seriously worsen mental health problems. “Everyone has to work out their own relationship with alcohol,” he added. These decisions are personal, but they should be made carefully and with awareness.

Beyond substances, Dr. Torrey pointed to a deeper cultural issue. “There is this kind of cowboy ethic in our culture,” he said. “People feel like they have to go at challenges on their own.” He described this mindset as very unhealthy. Instead, he encouraged people to recognize how much we all rely on one another. “We all really need each other,” he said.

Outdoor activities, in his view, are one way to counter isolation. “Outdoor activities attack loneliness,” Dr. Torrey said. He observed that people today are often more isolated than in the past. “Even though social media connects us electronically,” he said, “you are on your own looking in at others’ lives instead of participating with them.”

He pointed to Scouting as an example of a program that supports healthy connection. “Scouting is a great thing,” he said. “You are outside, not on your phone, and doing something.” Dr. Torrey values both structured and unstructured outdoor time. “Many of us are so busy and organized that we do not have time to reflect,” he said. Outdoor activities offer that contrast. “Being with just other people in a different setting helps,” he added. Time outside also supports play and creativity. “Part of it has to do with playing and creative time,” he said. “You learn a lot about other people that way.”He believes this kind of time is especially important for young people. “I think it’s harder for people my age,” he said, referring to adults. “But we can help that to happen.” Adults can help make outdoor and reflective experiences possible for the next generation. One way to build confidence, he said, is through survival skills. “You feel like you have to get good at something,” he said. “Because you know you can accomplish.” Learning to build a fire, navigate a trail, or solve a problem outdoors can help a young person believe they are capable. That belief carries over into everyday life.

In the end, Dr. Torrey returned to a message of possibility. “Each of us has our own life to live,” he said again. “It’s our time.” Helping people recognize that they have the chance to shape their own future is a core part of care. “We all really need each other and rely on each other,” he said.

Dr. Torrey’s insights highlight what we believe at Wilderness for Wellness. Mental health support begins with understanding, connection, and the confidence that comes from real experiences. Whether through counseling, outdoor activity, or peer support, we have the opportunity to help each other heal. We do not have to face anything alone.