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Parent Category: Lower-Intermediate News Lessons

Category: Environment Lessons

Written by Chris Cotter

Have you heard of ecotherapy? The treatment recommends people to go outside and be active in a green environment. Supporters believe it is a more effective treatment against depression. Perhaps someday, doctors would suggest ecotherapy in addition to drugs.

The University of Essex compared people who walked thirty minutes in a country park with people who walked for thirty minutes in a shopping mall. Seventy-one percent of the people who walked in the park said they felt happier. Ninety percent said they felt better about themselves too. On the other hand, only 45% of the people who walked in the mall felt happier. Even worse, 22% actually felt more depressed.

Recent statistics point to a huge rise in people who take anti-depressant medication. Doctors wrote more than 31 million prescriptions last year, which is a 6% increase. Many experts are worried about the mental health of the UK.

Another study showed even more positive results. Nature and exercise helped 90% of people. Therefore, doctors need to understand that ecotherapy is an option for better mental health.