Mental Health

According to the burden of disease assessments conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), mental illness, also known as neuropsychiatric conditions, accounts for the largest human burden of noncommunicable diseases at the global level, representing approximately 14 percent of disease burden in all categories. Mental health is a complex concept to define precisely. It generally refers to a person's state of emotional well-being and an absence/presence of neuroses or other psychiatric conditions. A holistic view includes a wider range of factors: multiple interacting biological, environmental, social, and psychological variables. For example, WHO defines good mental health as a state of well-being that signifies the ability to recognize individual abilities, cope with life's normal stresses, work productively, and contribute positively to society.

In addition to established definitions, an emerging body of research shows that an environmentally aware lifestyle, and a healthy interaction with nature, nurtures mental well-being. See, for example, the Biophilia Hypothesis that was proposed and developed by Edward O. Wilson, Stephen R. Kellert, and Oladele A. Ogunseitan's study on the association of topophilia with quality of life. Indeed, nature-based therapies and opportunities to participate in green projects are being recognized as possible complementary approaches to the prevention and management of health problems. The need for effective approaches to understanding and promoting good mental health has never been greater. The number of people worldwide affected by a mental health problem is increasing, and a large number of people are likely to experience an illness at some point in their lifetime. This explores the role that green living can play in mental well-being, beginning with a brief overview of the relationships between mental health and encounters with nature; ecofriendly lifestyles; the use of green care as a complementary therapy; and healthcare systems. This entry also considers the future of green health in terms of health policy and increasing acceptance by health professionals.