Human nature connection and mental health: What do we know so far?
Man and nature connection
It´s a growing gap
Contributes to
Mental illness
Physical illness
Emotional illness
Depression
Anxiety
Addiction
Biophilia hypothesis
Human need to affiliate with life and lifelike processes.
A healthy fear,
Called biophobia
iEssential for human survival.
A balance of respect or healty fear
A capacity to experience a sense awe and wonder with nature.
Attention Restoration Theory (ART)
People have 2 types of attention
Directed attention
Fascination
As an intentional mental process
It´s used when
Focusing on a given task or for warding off or inhibiting unnecessary information
Depleted directed attention
Could be recovered through a restorative experience of effortless fascination in natural environments
Interaction with green environments
Exposure
Forest
Urban parks
Gardens
Reduces
Stress
Depression
Increases positive emotions