For Isabel it was signing up for an art class.
For James it was joining a Men’s Shed.
For Claire it was doing ParkRun.
For Geoff it was getting involved in a local dune restoration project.
Four different people.
Four different activities.
All with the same aim.
To help overcome loneliness, grief, depression or loss of purpose.
We’re social creatures. We flourish in the company of others.
But sometimes through illness, loss of a partner or hard times we become unwell, disconnected from our family and friends, or socially isolated.
It’s during these times we’re at greatest risk of poorer health.
These are normal situations that many of us face.
They don’t need medicalising, and they don’t necessarily require medication.
Understanding the human condition recognises that social connection is the strongest bond for creating happiness, friendships or finding love, as well as keeping us healthy.
We can deal with a lot, far more than we give ourselves credit for, when we enjoy social support.
Which is why health practitioners are increasingly writing social or nature-based green prescriptions.
These start by asking the question,
“What matters to you?”
This is where an individual is put in contact with either a Link Worker or a contact with a local community group, with an invitation to participate in community based activities that matter to the them, to support heath and well-being.
For green social prescriptions, for example, The Forest Bathing Institute suggests activities like:
- Smelling the earth.
- Enjoying flowering shrubs and plants.
- Listening to birdsong.
- Feeling the sun on your skin.
In the UK, green social prescribing or nature on prescription is available through the National Health Service. Here patients are supported to engage in nature-based interventions with other people as a way of improving mental and physical health.
Health practitioners here in Australia are increasingly also writing these different forms of prescription. The State of Victoria is being very proactive in this space with the Victorian Social Prescribing Collaborative established in July 2023 and has recently released a report explaining how social prescribing works and how to help it achieve greater impact in the community.
The diagram below taken from the report, explains their vision.
This sounds great Jenny, but where’s the proof this stuff works?
I’m glad you asked because you’re right, without evidence of effectiveness, we could be wasting a lot of time and energy on wishful thinking.
While the research remains thin, work is being done to evaluate this.
In Victoria, the NFP People and Parks Foundation started trialling “Nature Scripts” in 2024 as an alternative or add-on to more conventional treatments for mental health challenges.
Here young people with a diagnosed mild mental illness were invited to spend 2 hours a week for six weeks in small groups of 5 to 7 people, engaged in nature-curated activities that included yoga, tree planting, nature journalling, bushwalking with a Parks Victoria ranger, learning nature photography or identifying aquatic macroinvertebrates, small species without a skeleton that provide an important food source for fish and frogs.
Associate Professor Janet Stanley and Professor John Stanley on reviewing the early results from 25 participants (yes, larger groups do need to be evaluated) found the following:
- A significant drop in loneliness as measured on the UCLS Loneliness Scale.
- A significant reduction in psychological distress as measured on the Psychological Distress Scale.
- A subjective increase in subjective well-being measured on the Personal Wellbeing Scale and
- A significant increase in well-being measured on the Flourishing Scale.
Moreover, the researchers were able to demonstrate overall feelings of social inclusion.
As our level of understanding around what works to support better health and well-being continues to evolve, it appears that social and green social prescriptions that support and maintain mental health do work and are here to stay.
Sometimes it’s the simplest of things that have the greatest positive impact.
Enjoying time in nature with other people makes us feel better in ourselves, more connected and happier too.
This is why we now have #SocialPrescribingDay on 19th March to celebrate the people, communities and organisations that make social prescribing happen.
Have you ever benefited from a Nature Script?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
