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Take a Walk, Be Happy
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- Parent Category: Lower-Intermediate News Lessons
- Category: Environment Lessons
- Written by Chris Cotter
Have you heard of ecotherapy? The treatment recommends people to go outside and be active in a green environment. Supporters believe it is a more effective treatment against depression. Perhaps someday, doctors would suggest ecotherapy in addition to drugs.
The University of Essex compared people who walked thirty minutes in a country park with people who walked for thirty minutes in a shopping mall. Seventy-one percent of the people who walked in the park said they felt happier. Ninety percent said they felt better about themselves too. On the other hand, only 45% of the people who walked in the mall felt happier. Even worse, 22% actually felt more depressed.
Recent statistics point to a huge rise in people who take anti-depressant medication. Doctors wrote more than 31 million prescriptions last year, which is a 6% increase. Many experts are worried about the mental health of the UK.
Another study showed even more positive results. Nature and exercise helped 90% of people. Therefore, doctors need to understand that ecotherapy is an option for better mental health.
Preview some of the lesson material:
Brainstorm: Brainstorm with a partner(s) words and ideas associated with "depression" for 2 minutes. Spend another 5 minutes or less discussing the words and ideas together.
Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension.
- What is the name of the new treatment for depression?
- What does the treatment recommend?
- Which was better, a walk in the country or a walk in the shopping mall?
- According to the article, why are experts worried about the future of UK citizens?
- Why do doctors need to understand more about ecotherapy?
post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!
- Do you think ecotherapy will be effective against depression? Why/not?
- Do you think people will choose ecotherapy instead of medication? Why/not?
- If your doctor told you to take walks in the park, what would you think? Why?
- Do you consider yourself a happy person? Do you wish you could be happier?
- If you had to guess, which age group is the least happy? Why do you think so?
Google Search: Type "ecotherapy" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings.
