Recent evidence indicates an
increase in mental health problems among college students. A 2013 survey of college counseling center
directors indicated that 95 percent of respondents felt the number
of students with significant psychological problems is a growing concern on
their campus, 70 percent reported that the number of students on their campus
with severe psychological problems increased in the past year, and they
reported that 24.5 percent of their student clients were taking psychotropic
drugs. While some researchers actively
search for reasons explaining the increase in mental health problems in college
students, others have examined ways to lower the risk of mental illness. The good news (especially for outdoor enthusiasts)
is that a study published by Gretchen Daily and her
colleagues at Stanford University found quantifiable evidence that walking in
nature could lead to a lower risk of depression. The study found that people
who walked for 90 minutes in a natural area, as opposed to participants who
walked in a high-traffic urban setting, showed decreased activity in a region
of the brain associated with a key factor in depression (the subgenual
prefrontal cortex). These results not
only demonstrate the impact of a nature
experience on emotion regulation and provide insight how nature makes us feel
better, but they also provide a safe, relatively affordable, fun, and healthy mechanism
for students (and others) to reduce their risk of mental health problems.
