Four important tools for managing anxiety and depression in the kitchen

I have battled with anxiety and depression from the beginning of my career. The long hours, high-intensity environment, angry cooks, unforgiving elements and high levels of expectation have played massive roles in the quality of my mental health. Most of the time it was manageable, but there have been periods over the years when it wasn't.

Workdays in a professional kitchen are often incredibly long and the hours are unsocial – alienating you from many people who work nine to five. The pressure is intense and the highs of service make it hard to wind down and get to sleep.

It takes a certain type of character to handle the environment day and night. I have always considered my role as a chef to be a cross between an artist and a player on an elite football team. The creative side of writing menus requires an artistic train of thought and experimentation, while the execution of delivering the product demands sports-like camaraderie from a crew with ultimate respect for each other.

Considering the extremes we face in the kitchen, it's not surprising to me at all the number of chefs who battle anxiety and depression. However, through seeking help, confronting problems and completely changing my lifestyle, I was able to find these tools to overcome those demons.

Communication: The most important tool by far. Making time to sit with my chefs each morning over a cup of tea and talk about the tone of the day, goals, weaknesses, highs, lows and personal mood has built a level of trust and understanding among us. It is vital that people feel comfortable talking to you.

Four-day rosters: Rest is a major factor in relieving the symptoms of anxiety and depression. The more tired you are, the more intense most things in life are. All our chefs work four days and have three days off that normally break down to two days in a row and one other day so that no one has to work four days straight.

Exercise: It can be hard, as a cook, to find the motivation for exercise and it's easy to use the excuse of "I've been on my feet all day, that's enough", but it's a proven fact that quality exercise can relieve the symptoms of anxiety and depression. I like to train in the morning before work, and although it's difficult to get up early, it's also a motivation to head home straight after a shift and wind down properly. Additionally, morning exercise allows me to enjoy a break between lunch and dinner service and actually sit down and eat. I make a point of varying the exercise so it doesn't become boring – a good mix of weight training, outdoor walking, surfing and basketball makes fitness a lot more fun.

Diet: Ironic, really. We spend all day preparing great food for others but finish work realising we haven't eaten all day. At that point, chefs often only have the energy to smash a toasted sandwich before bed. A regular, nutritious eating pattern does wonders for the symptoms of anxiety and depression, along with increasing mental capacity to positively tackle problems.

I'd say to summarise that my experience in tackling the issue is to consistently practise using those tools. This builds the confidence to know you can manage the problem. And once you have the confidence, the problem isn't as scary.

Adam Liston is the chef and co-owner of Shobosho in Adelaide.

Adam Liston and Shane Delia from Melbourne's Maha are teaming up for "Got your back", a dinner for beyondblue featuring dishes the two chefs like to eat and cook in their spare time. The six-course dinner, on Monday, October 15, at Shobosho in Adelaide, is $95 a head, with all profits donated to beyondblue. Bookings at shobosho.com.au