LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine ) – Even while we fight COVID-19, we face a further pandemic of mental health issues that is blighting the lives of millions, as well as costing the NHS a fortune in medication, and the economy billions more in lost productivity. Staring us in the face, however, is a cost effective, coherent, and holistic idea that could be a big part of a far better solution – focused use of greenspace. It is an idea that deserves far more attention. Wendy Masterton is involved in ground-breaking research at Stirling University that says just that: spending time in nature is good for mental health.
The importance of quality greenspace is increasingly being included in health policy and strategy, but there is potential for time in nature to be considered as a first response for much of the population. From a mental health perspective especially, supporting engagement with nature could be a cheaper and more sustainable route than medication, and with one in four people in the UK experiencing a mental health problem at some point in their life, it could be part of the answer to a growing problem. The prescription rate of anti-depressants and the demand for talking therapy is already at record levels, and additionally, those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantages have been shown to be most at risk for increased mental health challenges. Clearly there is a need to establish ways to support the rising demand for mental health support while limiting simultaneously rising costs. The Natural Capital Accounts for Scotland show that Scotland’s urban greenspace is a valuable natural asset, and the savings on mental health costs are approximately £2.5 million overall. Exposure to greenspace has been associated with positive outcomes relating to depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia, reductions in work-related stress, and with reduced antidepressant prescription rates. It has also recently been posed as a way to reduce the global burden of chronic pain and related mental health challenges. Ongoing work is happening across Scotland already with green prescriptions being implemented in Shetland, Dundee, and Edinburgh as a viable way of supporting people’s mental health.
What is interesting is that the advantages don’t just stop there, it can help problem substance use too. Wendy’s research at the University of Stirling has now shown for the first time how greenspace could also reduce harm for people who use drugs. Research exploring how best to support people with problem substance use is essential given the current profile of drug-related deaths in the UK, and in Scotland specifically. The rate of drug-related deaths in Scotland is 3.5 times higher compared to the rest of the UK. In 2020, there were 1,339 drug-related deaths, the highest number on record, and an increase of 5% from 2019. With the rising number of deaths and substance-related harm, there is continued increasing pressure on treatment and recovery services to deliver effective services to people with a wide variation in their needs.
Greenspace programmes, such as horticultural therapy, wilderness therapy, and care farming, have been successful in supporting people who use drugs. However, there is still very little understanding about exactly how these programmes work, and why they are successful, particularly for this client group. The new work from Stirling shows that the programmes are successful because they enable individual changes such as learning new skills and different coping strategies, increases in confidence, increases in physical activity, and feelings of purpose. They also promote social benefits such as decreased isolation, feeling part of the community, and improved relationships, both with programme staff and peers. These are similar to the reasons why other substance use treatments work, but greenspace programmes are additionally therapeutic due to the benefits of nature that they provide. Clients talk about ‘getting away’ from daily stressors, the restorative effect of nature, feeling a connection to nature, and how the physical space feels less oppressive and less clinical compared to traditional treatment environments. Many clients describe how the traditional view of ‘practitioner/patient’ relationships is challenged on greenspace programmes, as staff and clients work alongside each other. Greenspace programmes also appear to be successful for this client group because of their flexibility in approach. They typically don’t fall under the banner of ‘treatment’, which removes stigma often associated with substance use support, and they are typically low threshold, meaning that they can provide support for clients whether they are currently using drugs, or in recovery. This is important since one of the challenges seen in traditional treatment approaches is that clients frequently must meet strict criteria to gain access into treatment.
This research from Stirling University has begun to explore the specific pathways through which greenspace programmes work and aims to make development and implementation more straight forward, as well as more convincing for wider stakeholders such as policy makers and funders given there remains some scepticism over the true benefit of such programmes. The researchers acknowledge these concerns, the programmes are not a silver bullet and must be part of a holistic approach. However, the research is showing that greenspace programmes could contribute to filling crucial treatment gaps right now in a potentially lower cost alternative to other interventions.
Wendy Masterton is a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Stirling
Alyn Smith is the MP for Stirling