Outside Podcast When the Outdoors is Bad For Your Mental Health, with Cory Richards
Dec 2, 2025
Cory Richards, a renowned photographer and mountaineer, opens up about stepping away from climbing after a mental health crisis during a Nepal expedition. He discusses the challenges of redefining his identity outside of outdoor adventure, exploring the fine line between solitude and isolation. Cory shares his nostalgic memories of climbing, the evolving nature of his storytelling focus, and the importance of community over achievement in outdoor pursuits. He ponders the duality of the outdoors, emphasizing both its healing qualities and darker influences on his mental well-being.
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Check Your Nervous System First
- Check in with your nervous system before you choose solitude or isolation.
- Ask whether you're escaping yourself or inviting your mind back into the conversation.
City Life Is Also Nature
- Everything human-made sits inside nature; urban life can be an extreme expression of the organic world.
- Recognize different textures of being outside instead of ranking them hierarchically.
Choose Curiosity Over Seeking
- Prefer curiosity over seeking as a guide for returning to the mountains.
- If you feel curious, it's safer; if you're seeking something to fill a void, pause and reassess.
