Scientists wish to investigate the benefits of ecotherapy – therapeutic intervention through nature – for people with mental illness. The treatment is already recommended by the mental health charity Mind.
As an alternative to medication for depression, outdoor swimming will be evaluated as a treatment option.
Scientists wish to investigate the benefits of ecotherapy – therapeutic intervention through nature – for people with mental illness.
The University of Portsmouth will collaborate with the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to investigate how nature walks compare to antidepressants.
Depression sufferers are already advised by the National Health Service (NHS) to engage in physical activity to combat low moods.
Immersion in cold water has been shown to reduce stress levels, and participants in a swimming course are being sought for a new study.
There will be swimming lessons on Parliament Hill in London, Lenches Lake in Worcestershire, and Saunton in North Devon.
The swimmers’ results will be compared to those of a control group receiving existing treatments for depression.
Scientists and physicians are reexamining their understanding of depression in light of research indicating that some of their assumptions about the condition’s mechanisms may be incorrect.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)-funded study will provide preliminary support for using outdoor swimming as an alternative to antidepressants or talking therapies, according to a University of Portsmouth spokesperson.
Dr. Heather Massey, a co-author from the University of Portsmouth’s Department of Sport, Health, and Exercise Science said, “In this new study, we examine outdoor swimming as part of social prescribing, which aims to support community members who are self-referred or referred by several professional organizations to support community activities.
It is an improvement in terms of scientific rigor.
The nonprofit organization for mental health, Mind, already recommend ecotherapy.
According to its website, ecotherapy is a formal treatment involving outdoor activities in nature.
