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Nature and its role in your mental health

Posted by Lisa Lucier, Moderator @lisalucier, Oct 30, 2017

My family and I just returned from a trip to Hot Springs and Lake Ouachita, Arkansas, as well as a visit to see family who live on a country property in the South.

It occurred to me after walks among Arkansas’ beautiful trees, boating on the peaceful and glass-like Lake Ouachita, and then sitting outside reading my book surrounded by ponds and foliage on our relatives’ property that a good infusion of nature really helps me relax, put aside any anxieties and uplift my spirits.

I’ve also noted that over time, members on Mayo Clinic Connect, like @paracat , @predictable , @rosemarya , @artscaping , @johnbishop, @windwalker, @amberpep, @virtuous69, @megan123, @parus, @hopeful33250, @IndianaScott, @disneyfan and @peach414144 have all mentioned nature or posted photos of elements of the outside world.

I suspect that others also find that nature has positive effects in their lives. Wondering if you would share what you feel the role of nature has been in your mental health?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Mental Health Support Group.

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Mar 19, 2020

Hi, Lisa, Before retirement, I'd spent a great deal of time preparing for the financial part of the event but had given no thought to how I would find meaning and joy in suddenly unstructured daily life. Most of my friends were still working and as I live alone, I was lost until deciding that creating new flower beds would give me exercise and a time to be in fresh air outdoors. Always a nature lover, what started as a hobby soon became a major landscaping project of both front and backyards. There is something about nurturing seedlings and watching the tiny winged creatures they attract that brought what started as a hobby to a place of bliss for me. One of my favorite photos is capturing a pair of black swallowtail butterflies mating on a passionflower vine.

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1 reply
fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Mar 19, 2020

Since childhood, nature's tiniest creatures have held an almost mesmerizing effect on me. So finding my first Gecko in my garage not long before retiring brought real excitement. Gekki soon had his own mobile habitat and purchased fruit flies made it possible for me to share him with some ele. school classes. Dubbed by some as the Lizard Lady, Gekki soon had "cousins" showing up in other schools.

My daughter and 3 very close friends go on an annual trip together always choosing a destination away from any of their homes. One year on a biking trek through New England they stopped at a wayside craft shop. One of my prized gifts from that trip is a hand crafted pottery dish with the impression of a tiny Gecko.

Wondering if those with small children might find it a worthwhile diversion to discover some small creature and learn more about it and its habitat?

The firefly, lightening bug population was decimated in our state several years ago by fire ants. It was a joyful "blast from the past" to watch my grands chase them during a visit last summer in Evanston, IL.

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woogie | @woogie | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @johnbishop "I used to really like backpacking when we lived in California and I was a gazillion..." + (show)
@johnbishop

I used to really like backpacking when we lived in California and I was a gazillion years younger. My favorite hiking area was the Sierras in Kern county. Since my legs keep me from doing much walking I’ve found a friend in my outside window in my computer room. I set up a couple of bird feeders and am always reminded of how beautiful nature can be and at the same time how some of God’s little creatures struggle just as much and maybe more than we do. One particular day I was feeling a little down and looked out the window and saw a squirrel with a bot fly tumor on his neck. It was winter and I threw extra sunflower seeds for him under the feeder since I added a guard to keep him off. And it’s an extra joy for me when I see a pleated wood pecker.

John

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Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

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lioness | @lioness | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @peach414144 "Of course, exactly, right on and hurrah! We the people do truly care for each other..." + (show)
@peach414144

Of course, exactly, right on and hurrah! We the people do truly care for each other and now as again this is the time for the caring and the compassion to show. And to honor the people whose lives are also on the line caring and protecting us. God bless America. (Sing it again Kate Smith) Peach

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@peach414144 Love to hear Kate Smith at our karaoke I sang her song everyone our age loved it a good reminder of her

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2 replies
lioness | @lioness | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @fiesty76 "Hi, Lisa, Before retirement, I'd spent a great deal of time preparing for the financial part..." + (show)
@fiesty76

Hi, Lisa, Before retirement, I'd spent a great deal of time preparing for the financial part of the event but had given no thought to how I would find meaning and joy in suddenly unstructured daily life. Most of my friends were still working and as I live alone, I was lost until deciding that creating new flower beds would give me exercise and a time to be in fresh air outdoors. Always a nature lover, what started as a hobby soon became a major landscaping project of both front and backyards. There is something about nurturing seedlings and watching the tiny winged creatures they attract that brought what started as a hobby to a place of bliss for me. One of my favorite photos is capturing a pair of black swallowtail butterflies mating on a passionflower vine.

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@fiesty76 I,ll bet you got a lot of pleasure out of that .

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Mentor
Jim, Volunteer Mentor | @jimhd | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @sueinmn "@lioness We are so far south that the only bluebonnets are in gardens, but they are..." + (show)
@sueinmn

@lioness We are so far south that the only bluebonnets are in gardens, but they are blooming beautifully. The cactus buds are swelling and our citrus trees are flowering, so the aroma is heavenly. Just finished playing a game of cards on the open patio. Needed to weight them down, but it was heavenly to be out and be able to socialize safely. Has anyone in Minnesota seen the tulips poking up yet? In a normal year that's when our daughters ask us to please come home.
Sue

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@sueinmn No tulips yet, here in central Oregon, but our early mini daffodils are blooming. It's been cold here the past several nights, down to the low teens. I haven't looked, but I hope the low temps didn't make our fruit trees drop their buds

Jim

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2 replies
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @jimhd "@sueinmn No tulips yet, here in central Oregon, but our early mini daffodils are blooming. It's..." + (show)
@jimhd

@sueinmn No tulips yet, here in central Oregon, but our early mini daffodils are blooming. It's been cold here the past several nights, down to the low teens. I haven't looked, but I hope the low temps didn't make our fruit trees drop their buds

Jim

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For all of you "Up North" awaiting Spring, rest assured it is on the way. The red-winged blackbirds were flocking here in South Texas for the last 3 weeks, and eating us out of house and home. As of today, the majority must be on the way home - there were only a few at my feeder. This morning on our walk, we watched a pair of Northern Mockingbirds doing their mating dance (sorry, no pics because I was so enthralled I never pulled out the camera.)
Sue

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1 reply
fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @peach414144 "Of course, exactly, right on and hurrah! We the people do truly care for each other..." + (show)
@peach414144

Of course, exactly, right on and hurrah! We the people do truly care for each other and now as again this is the time for the caring and the compassion to show. And to honor the people whose lives are also on the line caring and protecting us. God bless America. (Sing it again Kate Smith) Peach

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Peach, Yay for Kate Smith and God Bless America !!!

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @sueinmn "For all of you "Up North" awaiting Spring, rest assured it is on the way. The..." + (show)
@sueinmn

For all of you "Up North" awaiting Spring, rest assured it is on the way. The red-winged blackbirds were flocking here in South Texas for the last 3 weeks, and eating us out of house and home. As of today, the majority must be on the way home - there were only a few at my feeder. This morning on our walk, we watched a pair of Northern Mockingbirds doing their mating dance (sorry, no pics because I was so enthralled I never pulled out the camera.)
Sue

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Raining here in Rochester @sueinmn. Predicting 1-3 inches of the white stuff tonight but it won't stick around so probably won't need to do any shoveling except the sidewalk. I'm really looking forward to Spring in all it's glory showing up!

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Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Mar 19, 2020
In reply to @jimhd "@sueinmn No tulips yet, here in central Oregon, but our early mini daffodils are blooming. It's..." + (show)
@jimhd

@sueinmn No tulips yet, here in central Oregon, but our early mini daffodils are blooming. It's been cold here the past several nights, down to the low teens. I haven't looked, but I hope the low temps didn't make our fruit trees drop their buds

Jim

Jump to this post

@jimhd We have a glorious day here. Mini-daffodils are blooming everywhere, along with crocus. Trees are blooming with the promise of new leaves. My rose bushes that were cut back severely in Jan, have decided to quit frightening me, and started showing signs of new growth. I thought I had killed them! While on my walk, the robins, quail, blue jays and scrub jays were very busy, taking my mind off everything else.
And, our cat finally found she likes the spot on the table in the sun, after putting some flannel down for her.
Ginger

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