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Living in an area surrounded by trees and foliage plants has a calming effect on one’s senses. Studies in the past have linked this effect to sound mental health. However, most of these studies were conducted on adults.
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Proximity to Greenery May Help Adolescents Stave Off Depression, Finds Study Proximity to Greenery May Help Adolescents Stave Off Depression, Finds Study Living in an area surrounded by trees and foliage plants has a calming effect on one’s senses. Studies in the past have linked this effect to sound mental health. However, most of these studies were conducted on adults. Now, a recent study has dug deeper into the association between natural conditions and symptoms of depression among American teenagers. The study, published recently in the Journal of Adolescent Health, has found that adolescents are likely to benefit from exposure to greenery. Researchers analyzed data on 9,385 youths aged 12 to 18, who were enrolled in the study in 1999. They observed that the teens who lived in areas covered by natural vegetation were less vulnerable to high levels of depressive symptoms. The study also found that middle school students exhibited the strongest effects. “We saw that living in an area greener was associated with lower depression among population... and that the persisted number of statistical techniques, which gives us confidence that the association is there and so are the benefits,” said lead author Carla Bezold of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. that was this association using a Bezold and his team identified participants’ location using geo-coding. They, then, used satellite data to identify proximity to green spaces and blue spaces (water bodies) in the surrounding areas. Furthermore, the researchers measured the amount and quality if it was large and lush or small and sparse. The findings revealed that young people living in areas surrounded by the highest-quality green space had 11 percent less risk of developing high levels of depression compared to their peers who inhabited poorest quality green space. No such association was reported for blue spaces. As indicated by Bezold, a number of mechanisms are responsible for effecting the beneficial properties of greenness. He also referred to previous studies that suggested reduction in stress, increased physical activity and improved social interaction between neighbors for www.sovteens.com
people living near higher density vegetation. He also urged urban planners and public health professionals to understand the importance of proximity to nature in a residential environment to promote community health. A similar 2016 study by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital reported improved mental health in terms of lower levels of depression in women who inhabited the greenest surroundings. Dealing with depression According to a study that appeared online in the journal Psychological Medicine in October 2017, the prevalence of depression has increased among Americans aged 12 and older over the last decade, from 6.6 percent in 2005 to 7.3 percent in 2015. Significantly, the rise was more noticeable among youths aged 12 to 17, from 8.7 percent in 2005 to 12.7 percent in 2015. The study suggested that depression mostly affected the individuals with least access to health care facilities and mental health professionals. Most of these young individuals and those with lower levels of income and education were more vulnerable to untreated depression, the study found. Depression is a common but debilitating mood disorder. It can affect the ability of a person to think, feel and/or perform daily activities, such as eating, working and sleeping. Untreated depression, as experts highlight, increases the risk of suicidal behaviors, especially among teenagers. Therefore, if you know anybody who looks hopeless or shows other possible signs of depression, help him or her get immediate medical attention. Timely treatment with medication and behavioral therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help individuals battling depression return to a normal life. Sovereign Health of Rancho San Diego is one of the renowned mental health facilities for teens in the U.S., which offers evidence-based treatment for depression and various other mental disorders, addiction and dual diagnosis. The facility is equipped to offer best teen mental health. Call at our 24/7 helpline number (866) 512-1981 to get more information about our teen mental health treatment. www.sovteens.com
