A growing group of psychologists say that many of our mental problems, including depression, stress and anxiety, can be blamed in part to our increasing alienation from nature. So how can you fix it? Duh! Get outside and enjoy nature.

Contrary to traditional psychologists who treat a patient’s interior through anti-depressants and/or old-school couch-ridden therapy, eco-therapists believe treatment for nervous tension and gloominess should include time spent outdoors.

The logic of eco-therapists may not be that far-fetched. They say humans are innately meant to interact with the environment, pointing out that humans and nature have evolved side by side for millions of years. But the past two centuries of development, starting with the Industrial Revolution, have steadily distanced humans from the natural world as our internal clocks have become regulated by the factory or office clock instead of the sun or moon. The advent of the Internet and other technologies, like Blackberries and other smartphones, have caused us to bury our heads into screens, ignoring the beauty of nature around us, and giving us “the impression that were are somehow above and separate from nature,” Craig Chalquist told Time Magazine. Chalquist is an instructor at John F. Kennedy University in San Francisco and co-editor, alongside Buzzell-Saltzman, of the book Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind.

Add to all this the reality that more than half of the world’s population live in sparsely-treed cities and humans continue to pollute and abuse the earth, further contributing to climate change, it’s no wonder depression is a big problem in the modern world. Eco-therapists suggest this is an inborn longing for our natural home.

“People were embedded in nature once,” says Buzzell-Saltzman. “We’ve lost that, and we’re paying the price.”

But all hope isn’t lost. A return to nature can bring relief and maybe even healing. Eco-therapists start treatment sessions (which, true to form, may take place outdoors) by having patients chronicle how much time they spend outdoors. They also counsel patients to slow down and reconnect with nature by gardening or simply taking walks outdoors.

It’s no secret that regular exercise is a powerful mood enhancer and spending time in the sun boosts vitamin D production so the eco-therapy approach may not be that questionable. What do you think?

What can you do?

Studies show that 10-15% of children and adolescents have some symptoms of depression. Many aren't aware of this.

• Write an article about the importance about mental health
• Produce a brochure that promotes healthy living