Feeling a bit down? Try ecotherapy

I’ve previously posted about the relationship between modest levels of regular activity, of which gardening is a good example, and positive mental health. There is a related area where there is growing evidence that exposure to ‘nature’ also has specific benefits for improving mental health and feelings of well-being.

The evidence suggests that almost any experience of the natural environment has beneficial effects. It need not be a trek in the foothills of the Himalayas or a view across the Yorkshire Dales or visits to the seaside. Or even living on a rural smallholding. It could simply be taking in the sight of a tree outside of your window at home. There is indeed one study that found that hospital patients who could view trees from the ward windows were discharged sooner than patients with no such view.

A recent literature review on health and the natural environment found, among other things:-

• People living within 300 metres of green spaces report better self-perceived health and mental health.

• Doctors prescribe fewer anti-depressants in urban areas with more trees on the street.

• People are happier and have lower mental distress when living in urban areas with more green space.

A  Canadian study of individuals monitoring their emotional responses to natural and urban environments respectively, found that the former reported higher levels of happiness and general well-being compared to the latter. Another study has found that exposure to green spaces improved people’s body image and consequently their sense of well-being. More evidence that gardening, specifically, reduced stress levels and can also contribute to longevity, was published just a few weeks ago.

A similar area of research to the mental health benefits of exposure to the natural environment concerns the potential benefits of engaging with animals. Contact with, or caring for pets or farm animals helps promote a sense of nurture and responsibility outside of the self. It can help in promoting social interaction and can have positive benefits in the resulting relationship bonding. In its more advanced form such approaches have led to the development of Care Farms. Interestingly enough, many years ago I worked with a psychiatrist who had previously qualified as a vet who often espoused similar ideas. 

One of the reasons for such potential benefits is that being in a green or natural environment is one means by which individuals can connect with the world outside of themselves. In essence this is what some forms of psychotherapy aim to achieve. This is in contrast, for example, to the tendency for individuals experiencing anxiety, depression or low self-esteem to be pre-occupied with ruminating thoughts about the past, or recurrent anxieties for the future. It acts as a form of mindfulness whereby attention is re-directed to the here and now, which the natural environment and all its fascinations is particularly effective at promoting.

Some of this might seem intuitive or common sense, but as with the case of the mental health benefits of regular moderate activity, there is now accumulating research to support such claims. It is sometimes useful for otherwise taken-for-granted assumptions to be subject to inquisition.

So, take a walk in the park, listen to the song of a blackbird, look at the sprinkle of snowdrops, brush against a rosemary bush and smell the scent that is released, feel the smoothness of the bark of a Tibetan cherry prunus serrula, taste a home grown tomato. They don't require a high level focus, just a passing fascination. Delight in them and feel your spirit lift.

*I have resisted the temptation to include citations and turn this blog post into an academic essay, but I’m happy to provide references if requested.