We've loosely known that owning pets and gardening can lift a black mood, but a new study confirms that people who garden are less likely to display signs associated with unhappiness or depression. Affiliation 1 Norwegian University of Life Sciences, As, Norway. How rhetorical this may seem, but this is true. All reported positive effects of gardening as a mental health intervention for service users, including reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. By exercising outdoors in the garden or walking outdoors daily, you are exposing yourself to the daylight spectrum. Thank you for your advice, I will also try to grow these plants to cope with the anxiety that does not leave me. Some of these, such as St John’s wort for depression and willow for headaches, have been embraced by modern science. Twice a week participants spent three hours on the … TV's Monty Don has said gardening is the best treatment for mental health and doctors should prescribe it like they do with exercise. But what about the benefits of gardens and gardening themselves? Depression is much more complicated and multi-faceted than that. Anxiety and depression: why doctors are prescribing gardening rather than drugs September 2, 2019 7.23am EDT. Gardening helps us relax and let go. Individuals participated in a 12-week “therapeutic horticulture programme” at four farms near Oslo, Norway. If you’re like many people today, you too can benefit from the mental health benefits of gardening! Focus on growing produce that you regularly eat or want to eat that costs too much at the store. There are several benefits to gardening that can minimize stress. Holmstrom gardens on a relatively small plot at her condo in Edmonton. Here are a few reasons that gardening is a fantastic stress reliever. Published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, “Therapeutic horticulture in clinical depression: a prospective study of active components” found gardening therapy to be effective in reducing the symptoms of depression. For many, the peacefulness associated with gardening comes not from its social aspect however, but the … In “Gardening for health: a regular dose of gardening by Richard Thompson, he details research that shows how “green care”, the act of working in the garden or having plants in open areas, help reduce blood pressure, stress, pulse rate, and muscle tension. However, gardening clearly has a positive impact on stress as well as mood and isn't always thought of as the go-to stress relief activity that reading is, and perhaps it deserves a little more attention as a stress relief option. It's not a … For a few months, students — many with psychological issues from trauma, adoption, depression — band together and run a garden from the seed to the dinner plate. Even doctors are of the opinion that gardening can help elevate the situation for people with depression. How to Make a Depression Garden Work. The bacterium appears to be a natural antidepressant in soil and has no adverse health effects. And it’s becoming a … He advocates for doctors to prescribe this holistic approach to even dental patients for a faster recovery. "Being in nature and gardening helps to bring me back out of that." Lack of serotonin has been linked to depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and bipolar problems. HOW GARDENING CAN HELP THE FIGHT AGAINST DEPRESSION - Gardening adds years to your life and life to your years. Gardening is, however, another weapon in the ongoing fight against rising global depression levels. Gardening acts as a recreational activity that sets the mind free. Whether you’re looking to reduce anxiety and depression through gardening or just burn off some excess stress, get outside and get your hands in the dirt! Statistically speaking, there are ever increasing problems with both in modern life. It’s great that scientific and clinical studies are proving what gardeners already know: there are many more benefits to gardening than the obvious ready access to the freshest, healthiest foods possible. Gardening has been linked to improvements in human health and well-being, but it is not clear what aspects of gardening promote health, or indeed the extent to which any health benefits are recognised in the gardening community? MORE: Who is Garden Rescue star David Rich's fiancée? The research presented here explores attitudes to domestic gardening and the extent to which gardening is seen as a health intervention. Exercise is a common recommendation to combat depression and gardening can be a substitute for a trip to the gym. As far back as the 1800s, Dr. Benjamin Rush, known as the “father of American psychiatry,” apparently documented the positive effect that working in the garden had on mental illness. It encourages you to live in the moment. SUNLIGHT AND SEROTONIN Another proven serotonin stimulator is sunlight. Of course, gardening can’t cure depression. Source: katrienberckmoes. "Out of the head..Through the hands. Why doctors are prescribing gardening for anxiety and depression, instead of medication. In fact, a study by the Mental Health Journal revealed that gardening can lead to reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Depression isn’t like a broken leg, something with a simple cure. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and A … Therapeutic horticulture in clinical depression: a prospective study Res Theory Nurs Pract.