Did you know that October is Mental Health Awareness Month in South Africa? In light of that, we decided to look at the connection between plants and mental health.
Mental health awareness month is about educating the public about mental health, but also reducing the stigma and discrimination that people with mental illness are often subjected to.
At Ambius, we really believe that being surrounded by plants improves mental health. But before we go any further, here’s a gentle disclaimer: mental health issues are a serious topic that are best navigated with the help of a mental health professional.
Mental health problems
Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and job stress are common, and they have a direct impact on workplaces. Increased absenteeism, reduced productivity, and increased costs can all be attributed to mental health issues.
We know that indoor plants can improve productivity and decrease absenteeism, but can they also have a positive impact on mental health?
Let’s take a deeper look at the benefits of being surrounded by plants, and how plants might be able to assist with common mental health challenges such as low mood and stress.
Horticultural therapy
“Horticultural therapy” (the engagement of a person in gardening and plant-based activities under the trained eye of a therapist) has been used since the late 19th century. Dr Benjamin Rush, the “father of American psychiatry,” documented the positive effects that working with plants had on patients with mental illness.
In the 20th century, horticultural therapy was no longer exclusively a treatment for mental illness and was embraced by war veterans suffering from PTSD in the 1940s and 1950s.
Plants and mental health: reducing the symptoms of PTSD
Studies of veterans and victims of natural disasters who participated in horticultural therapies or nature-based rehabilitation programs found that both groups were better able to control symptoms of PTSD and developed more positive states of mind when in nature.
Using nature as a safe place was an important part of lowering the participants’ feeling of alertness. One veteran reported how he felt that nature settings provided so much protection that he could close his eyes, something that he could rarely do in public. Others found that being in specific nature settings had positive impacts on their PTSD symptoms.
Reducing loneliness
Studies are also starting to show that plants can help with loneliness. A GP practice in the UK is testing this theory by giving pot plants to patients who may be experiencing anxiety, depression or loneliness.
Patients who are prone to depression or low mood are given a plant to care for, and then bring back to transfer into a communal garden. This then gives the patient chance to join in with further gardening and social activities.
The plants are mainly herbs – like lemon balm and catmint – which all have mindful qualities. It’s thought that having something to care for brings so many benefits to people – especially for those who may not have a garden or be able to have pets.
Dr Philippa James, one of the surgery’s GPs, said:
“I’ve seen how our patients relax in the garden. There’s a lot of evidence now about how two hours a week in a green space can lift mood – and then that too has physical, mental and emotional benefits.”
A Korean study of patients diagnosed with moderate to severe depression compared the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) performed in a hospital to CBT performed in an arboretum with a forest-like setting.
Symptoms of depression were significantly reduced in the arboretum group, who also experienced 20% to 30% higher rates of complete remission when compared to a typically medicated group.
Plants can lower anxiety and stress
Multiple small studies have analyzed the relationship between being near indoor plants and lower stress levels. A 2015 study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that interacting with indoor plants may reduce psychological and physiological stress.
Another study from Japan concluded that even just gazing at a plant on your work desk may reduce anxiety levels.
Decreasing stress and fatigue:
In 2011, researchers from Uppsala University (Sweden) and Norwegian University of Life Sciences found that the simple presence of plants in our environment reduces stress and fatigue, and increases feelings of happiness. Working with plants also helps decrease our cortisol levels and makes us feel restored and positive.
And a Japanese study by Seiji Shibata from the Department of Human Psychology at Sagami Women’s University concluded that the presence of plants may accelerate the recovery from fatigue in participants.
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Above is just a small sample of the multitude of studies on plants and mental health that have been conducted over the years. Clearly plants aren’t just good for aesthetics – they have real and measurable results on our mental and physical wellbeing.
To capitalise on the benefits of adding greenery to your workplace, contact Ambius today to arrange a free quote.
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