Reflections on mental health, nature and wellbeing
World Mental Health Day on 10 October encourages us to pause and reflect on the demands of modern life, and on how spending time in nature supports our mental health and resilience.
It is also a moment for us to highlight how, with your support, GAP Ireland works to make access to nature the norm. We believe that everyone should have access to places to relax, reconnect with their communities, and benefit from the restorative effects of the natural world.
Ireland is moving fast. Too fast, perhaps. Behind the headlines of economic growth lies a quiet truth: our mental health is fraying, and the natural world around us is under pressure.
Recent studies indicate that 42% of Irish adults meet the criteria for at least one mental health disorder, three in five have experienced depression, and four in five report anxiety.
Time spent in nature is a proven antidote.
It reduces stress, improves people’s mood, sharpens their focus, and strengthens social connections. During the Covid-19 pandemic, 84% of Irish adults reported that access to nature was vital for their mental wellbeing, and the HSE now recognises green and blue spaces as essential health infrastructure.
GAP Ireland works to make green spaces more widely accessible.
Our research paper highlights the links between nature and mental health, while initiatives such as our GLAS community gardens provide real-world places for people to relax, learn and connect with their communities.
Yet Ireland’s natural environment is under pressure: more than half of native wild plants are in decline, and 85% of protected habitats are in poor condition. Protecting and improving access to green and blue spaces is more urgent than ever.
Slowing down to move forward
Slowing down does not mean rejecting progress. It means redefining it, prioritising wellbeing, community and environmental sustainability.
By creating space for rest, reflection and connection, we support mental health, strengthen social bonds and give nature room to recover. In practical terms, this could mean designing cities and towns that prioritise green and blue spaces, supporting workplaces that respect boundaries between work and rest, and embedding nature into everyday life as a cornerstone of public health.