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Nature deficit disorder Why do you miss the countryside even though you don’t like it
When we are stressed and have signs of fatigue, our situation improves when we come into contact with nature
When after the long winter the first spring rays begin to fill the afternoons, we go out like snails in the sun looking for warmth. A new season arrives, the flowers begin to be reborn and we could almost say that we feel more alive. It is almost undeniable to say that nature gives us vitality. Edward O. Wilson, an entomologist and biologist at Harvard University, hypothesizes that humans are innately attracted to nature, and that we need be in contact with the natural environment to achieve both psychological and physical health.
It is from this intrinsic union that the so-called “Nature deficit disorder”, a term coined by the writer Richard Louv in the book “The Last Children of the Forest” and which, as he explains, “is not a medical diagnosis.” “This term – a metaphor – serves to describe the high price we humans pay for not being in contact with nature”, explains Louv to ABC Bienestar and lists this “price”: difficulties to maintain concentration, a higher rate of diseases psychological or increased myopia, among many other things.
Each filtering bag children are the most affected by this phenomenon. José Antonio Corraliza, professor of Environmental Psychology at the Autonomous University of Madrid, points out that this “disorder” (although it is not one as such) “is closely linked to the health of people in general, and that of children in particular” . He comments that pediatricians agree that today’s children have four major problems: the increasing rate of childhood obesity; the increase in respiratory diseases, on the one hand due to city pollution and, on the other, due to the lack of physical exercise; the increase in the cases of children suffering from ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder); and the lack of vitamin D. “If you look at the four problems, they are linked to the lack of being outdoors. We are always indoors and this can negatively affect our health, “he says.
“Although spending time outside is vital for people of all ages who seek to have a full and balanced life, there are studies that affirm that children can improve your cognitive skills and cope better with stress and depression situations if they are in contact with the natural environment, ”says Richard Louv.
But contact with nature not only has an impact on our mental health and our cognitive abilities. Silvia Collado, a professor at the Zaragoza University and a doctorate in Environmental Education from the Autonomous University of Madrid, comments that nature deficit disorder also makes a dent in the social sphere. «There are several scientific studies that show that natural places make children play more with each other and interact more with adults ”, he points out and continues that in schoolyards where there is no nature, only a soccer field, children who do not participate in this sport tend to do more activities during break. sedentary, while if there is a natural environment, creativity and imagination are fostered and they interact in a more dynamic way.
The effect of nature on the body
The disorder we are talking about is not something that one can identify as having, we could hardly say that it “suffers.” It is just a positive reaction of our body when coming into contact with the natural environment, something that this without being conscious “missed”. Professor Corraliza explains that one way of noticing is when, after being very tired, we went for a walk in a big park and got better. “We realize that we miss nature when after an experience of fatigue we feel good to come into contact with it,” he points out.
What we call “feeling good” is actually what is called the restorative experience. The teacher refers the teacher to a study carried out by Professor Roger Urlich, in which he made a group of people run on a treadmill. After the effort, some were exposed to images of nature while others observed urban scenes. Those exposed to natural images demonstrated a better ability to recover from signs of fatigue, in practically half the time than the other group.
That is why, no matter how small the natural environment, it will have a positive impact on us. «Any green space will give us mental benefitsAlthough the greater the biodiversity, the greater the benefit, ”says Richard Louv. The writer comments that even the most urban landscapes can be a bit natural. “They can be small actions, such as having a garden, replacing the lawn with flowers and other plants that attract the migratory routes of birds and butterflies,” he explains and emphasizes that making a space “greener” is not just make it more sustainable and energy efficient, if not create a richer natural culture.
“Naturalize” our life
For her part, Professor Collado explains that it is very important to “naturalize” cities, increasing and making green areas more accessible, as well as “Naturalize” the places where we spend a lot of time each day, like offices. “Vertical gardens can be an option. It is essential to include nature in people’s daily lives ”, he reaffirms and recalls that, although the idea of going, for example, to the mountains for the weekend“ to disconnect ”is very healthy, we must take into account our style of life and include natural spaces in it, in our day to day, in cities. “Also in our homes, having indoor plants or even posters of nature scenes helps us,” he says.
Finally, Richar Louv sums up the idea we are orbiting: “Studies suggest that direct and indirect contact with nature helps us recover from mental fatigue, improve our attention and help the brain regain the ability to think. Nature is an antidote to stress, even if this is a small garden or a park in the middle of the city.