Location matters—and not just in real estate. Psychologists have long known that people's surroundings can influence their moods and mental health, and that mental health services are unevenly distributed in communities.
The environment can affect your sense of social support, comfort, and level of stimulation. Factors such as crime, racism, and pollution can influence your health and safety, which can have a profound impact on your mental well-being.
You might experience depression or low self-esteem because of housing problems. For example, this may happen if you need to move around a lot, making you feel less secure and affecting your relationships. Your living situation might make you feel lonely. This might happen if you live alone.
The term "trigger" is often used to describe the cause of deep sadness, anxiety, or other feelings, typically in people experiencing posttraumatic stress (PTSD). This "trigger" may be a smell, sound, or sight. It may be a physical location, or an anniversary of a traumatic event.
Key Findings. New Jersey comes in as the number one best state to live in the US for your family's mental health in 2022. Data has shown that symptoms of mental illness among adults in New Jersey (16.14%) are lower than the national average in the US (21.1%)1.
Even though it's in the dense inner-city areas that you generally find the most noise, air pollution and high buildings, people living in sprawling residential suburbs are more likely to be depressed than their downtown counterparts.
It can occur for a variety of reasons and it has many different triggers. For some people, an upsetting or stressful life event, such as bereavement, divorce, illness, redundancy and job or money worries, can be the cause. Different causes can often combine to trigger depression.
Stress. Psychological stress is a major cause of depression because of its physical effects on the body and brain. In particular, stress causes hormonal changes that are present in about 70% of depressed people.
A messy home environment doesn't always cause stress or anxiety for people, but in an individual with anxiety, it can make a huge difference. If you struggle with anxiety, consider evaluating your home environment. A cluttered home can sometimes be an issue because it sits at the back of your mind on your to-do list.
Even after people move to a bigger house, it may not take long for them to start to feel like they don't have enough. Surveying almost 1,000 people who chose to upsize their home, my research found that housing satisfaction initially increased after a move by 1.2 points on a seven-point scale.
Not to mention that all that clutter can also affect our anxiety levels, sleep, ability to focus, and even make us feel less productive. When we sense those feelings, we sometimes avoid cleaning our room or procrastinate; thus, the clutter will build up. An untidy room will lead to other problems.
Growing up with narcissistic, critical, and unsupportive parents and other family members can leave you unstable both emotionally and mentally. For those who have just overcome their conditions or were ever at risk will develop depression in this toxic environment.
drug and alcohol misuse. domestic violence, bullying or other abuse as an adult. significant trauma as an adult, such as military combat, being involved in a serious incident in which you feared for your life, or being the victim of a violent crime.
The environment can facilitate or discourage interactions among people (and the subsequent benefits of social support). For example, an inviting space with comfortable chairs and privacy can encourage a family to stay and visit with a patient. The environment can influence peoples' behavior and motivation to act.
If your perception of your home is that it's a busy or lonely, negative, dark, and cramped space, you might feel increased stress and anxiety. Living alone in a small space can elicit feelings of confinement or that you are trapped. If you isolate yourself away as a reaction, that might lead to loneliness.
Experiencing trauma early in life and having certain genes can put you at higher risk for depression. But there are actions that can help protect against depression, such as eating a healthy diet and getting enough sleep and physical activity.
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism. Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness. Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness. Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities.
So how long do depressive episodes last? Usually, the depressive episode length ranges from six months to eight months, depending on the person. While some people may have depression that fades, others may struggle with depression on and off their whole life.
Depression causes the hippocampus to raise its cortisol levels, impeding the development of neurons in your brain. The shrinkage of brain circuits is closely connected to the reduction of the affected part's function. While other cerebral areas shrink due to high levels of cortisol, the amygdala enlarges.
Cultural factors
A culture of self-reliance in rural areas can make people reluctant to seek help. Additionally, there can be considerable stigma attached to mental illness, even more so than in cities. Therefore, patients in rural areas are often less likely to report mental health problems.
People at or below the poverty line are about twice as likely as others to experience depression.
My research found that, of those I surveyed, the happiest of the lot live in or just outside of a city. As it turns out, I'm not alone in this discovery. Other research points to the fact that a typical city slicker is significantly less happy than his suburban (or even rural) counterpart.