Country walks reduce depression

Relieving depression can be as simple as a walk in the park, say the mental health charity Mind.

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Studies commissioned by the charity from the University of Essex confirmed that being outdoors provides substantial benefits for health and well-being. Over 70 per cent reported that their depression decreased after a country walk.

About 2 in 3 adults experience depression at some point in their lives. Although many are mild cases, the condition can be serious enough to require treatment in 25% of depressed women and 10% of men. The NHS and local authorities last year spent £5 billion on adult mental health services, whilst in 2007 the number of anti-depressant prescriptions hit an all time high of over 31 million. Mind say that 'ecotherapy' is low-cost, has no negative side effects and is available on most people's doorsteps.

"It's a credible, clinically-valid treatment option and needs to be prescribed by GPs, especially when for many people access to treatments other than antidepressants is extremely limited," says Mind chief executive Paul Farmer. "We're not saying that ecotherapy can replace drugs but that the debate needs to be broadened."

The principles behind ecotherapy are not new. In the past, mental health institutions were often situated in pleasant gardens and natural landscapes. But Mind say that these considerations no longer play a significant role in the planning of urban and rural space. If ecotherapy was part of mainstream practice, it could potentially help millions of people affected by mental distress.

Read the report Ecotherapy - the green agenda for mental health.