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Spending time regularly in nature appears to have strong psychological benefits. As more compelling evidence comes in, doctors are prescribing more and more time outdoors, in the green or near water to give our mental health a boost.
While these recommendations may help some people, new research suggests there is a fine line between encouragement and pressure, and a formal prescription could sour the experience.
Using data from 18,838 participants in 18 countries collected for the BlueHealth International Survey in 2017, the researchers found that time outdoors was linked to a range of emotional benefits, but only when the choice felt like a person’s.
The findings are consistent with self-determination theory (SDT), which is the idea that when someone feels pressure to engage in certain activities, they can undermine their intrinsic motivation to do something.
“So, being pressured to visit nature by friends / family, or more formally by a doctor’s ‘green prescription’, can be inadvertently harmful,” the authors write.
“In the framework of SDT, there could be a shift from visiting nature because it is inherently enjoyable and fun, to visiting because of an internalized desire to meet the expectations of others.”
This is not to say that doctors should start using reverse psychology and advise people not get out, but there may be a better way to provide this guidance without adding external pressure.
Because if people feel like they aren’t living up to another’s expectations, it could turn medicine into a chore.
In the BlueHealth International Survey, this appeared to be the case. The more someone felt compelled to leave, the more likely they were to leave the house. But on the flip side, their outdoor visit was linked to less pleasure and more anxiety, especially for those suffering from common mental disorders like anxiety or depression.
It’s still unclear what is driving these findings, but the study authors think it may have to do with a less intrinsic motivation: time spent in nature for nature’s sake. It could also be that the less motivated people, who derive less benefit from going outdoors, tend to go out just to please others.
“We need more information on this delicate balance between intrinsic motivation and sometimes needed encouragement from the outside, as well as how nature visits could be integrated into mental health treatment,” says psychologist Ann Ojala of the Natural Resources Institute of Finland.
Because there really seem to be benefits; we just have to figure out how to reap the best fruits.
In the survey, participants were generally self-motivated to spend time in nature, and while this was lower among those with anxiety and depression, the researchers were rather surprised to find that most of the people in this group visited the nature at least once a week, the same amount as the others.
This weekly allotted time made the volunteers feel calm and helped alleviate some of their most stressful and ruminant thoughts, with self-reports only slightly less positive among those with poorer mental health.
“We had no idea how many people with depression and anxiety already used natural environments to relieve symptoms and manage their conditions,” says Mathew White of the University of Exeter and the University of Vienna.
“Our findings provide even greater clarity on the value of these places to communities around the world, but they also remind us that nature is not a silver bullet and must be carefully integrated with existing treatment options.”
The idea of ”green cures” or “ecotherapy” has gained ground in recent years, but most studies so far are small and have been based on self-selected samples.
Although mounting evidence suggests that spending just a few hours a week in nature is good for health and well-being, potentially improves short-term memory, reduces fatigue, improves focus, and lowers blood pressure, it’s unclear how to make the most of these. benefits in a practical way.
There are still many questions to be answered. If we prescribe time in nature for mental health disorders, how do we formulate the advice? How long do we prescribe? Who will benefit the most? And where do we suggest people to go?
The current findings are unique in that they give us a broad international overview of outdoor leisure, but psychologists say they are by no means definitive and are intended only as a “first exploration”.
Clear clinical data will be an important step for future research.
“These findings are consistent with broader research suggesting that urban natural environments provide spaces for people to relax and recover from stress,” says cognitive psychologist and study lead author Michelle Tester-Jones of the University of Exeter.
“However, they also show that health care professionals and loved ones should be sensitive when recommending time in nature for people suffering from depression and anxiety. It might be helpful to encourage them to spend more time in places people already love to visit; they feel comfortable and can make the most of the experience. “
The study was published in Scientific reports.
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