Maintaining a healthy environment has obvious physical health benefits such as nutrition via healthy food-growing soil and more breathable air by reducing smog. Similarly, there are great benefits to mental health that can be achieved by promoting a healthy environment.
It should be noted that an unhealthy environment can achieve negative mental health effects. A study by Speldewinde et al. (2011) found that depression was increased in areas degraded by dryland salinity, and various diseases were co-morbidities of the elevated depression levels. Therefore, preserving and restoring degraded areas can reduce negative mental health effects of unhealthy environments, especially in populated areas.
Also, healthy environments stimulate mental health benefits. For example, a study by Pearson & Craig (2014) found stress and depression levels were reduced when interacting with greenspace and simulated “natural” environments may not provide the same positive impact. Anderson et al (2018) found general well-being and stress were lessened by exposure to natural areas. So, introducing greenspaces and preserving existing ones will help the people in those greenspaces’ areas mental state.
Not only can healthy environments decrease negative effects of degraded environments, they also promote mental health benefits. In short, a healthy environment lends to a healthy mind.
The Carbon Newsprint
Kyra K
sources
Anderson, C. L., Monroy, M., & Keltner, D. (2018). Awe in nature heals: Evidence from military veterans,
at-risk youth, and college students. Emotion (Washington, D.C.), 18(8), 1195–1202.
https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000442
Pearson, D. G., & Craig, T. (2014). The great outdoors? Exploring the mental health benefits of natural
environments. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 1178. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01178
Speldewinde, P.C., Cook, A., Davies, P. et al. (2011). The Hidden Health Burden of Environmental
Degradation: Disease Comorbidities and Dryland Salinity. EcoHealth, 8, 82–92
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-011-0686-x
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