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A walk in the country is an effective alternative to chemical anti-depression treatment, a leading mental health charity has said, calling on British doctors to prescribe outdoor activities. So-called 'ecotherapy' could help millions of people with mental health problems after two studies it commissioned suggested it could have significant benefits for sufferers in most cases. Researchers studied the effect of a 30-minute walk in a country park compared with one in an indoor shopping centre on a small sample of 20 people with mental health problems. It found that 71% reported decreased levels of depression and anxiety after the outdoor walk while 90% said their self-esteem increased. A second study of 108 people with mental health problems suggested nearly all found 'green exercise' boosted their state of mind. Mind said prescriptions of anti-depressants were at an all-time high, with more than 31 million written last year -- a six percent increase from the previous 12 months -- because doctors had no alternatives. Cheap ecotherapies could cut costs as they were readily available and had no negative side effects.
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