Is the state of the planet affecting our psyches?

A recent article in the New York Times Magazine caught my attention when it uncovered advances in ecopsychology.  This relatively new branch of psychology is rooted in the idea that “grief, despair, and anxiety are the consequences of dismissing… deep-rooted ecological instincts.”  To sum it up, people are actually suffering psychological effects of the degradation of our planet and in the future, disorders like “nature-deficit disorder” might be as common as attention-deficit disorder is today.

Who knew that lack of ecological responsibility could actually harm our psyches?  And if this does indeed become an even greater problem in the future, what kind of new therapies will be used to help people develop stronger and healthier connections to the planet?

Read the entire article for yourself.