Today, society passes through hard times because of the COVID-19 pandemic that affects all spheres of human activity and preconditions the emergence of multiple changes in lifestyles. The extremely contagious nature of the disease, along with many adverse effects it has on patients, might become a challenge for a person that should be overcome to rehabilitate and enjoy a high quality of life. Because of the substantial risk of severe complications, there is a critical need for practices that might help to reduce the fear among clients and resocialize them. Under these conditions, the concept of nature relatedness acquires the top priority because of the possible positive effects on well-being.
The existing body of evidence accepts the significance of the idea. In general, nature relatedness is viewed as a special psychological characteristic of an individual with the opportunity to drive interaction with nature and impact well-being (Dean et al., 2018). The central role of this quality today is justified by the research, stating that people with higher showings of nature relatedness have fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and can control other social-demographic variables central for their complete recovery and the ability to enjoy the high quality of life (Dean et al., 2018). Additionally, the relevant body of research outlines the correlation between nature relatedness and mental health of patients who reconsider their lifestyles and become nature-oriented (Dean et al., 2018). For this reason, it can be an effective tool to cope with the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemics.
The investigators are also sure that patients who had coronavirus face diverse needs. These include the need for rebuilding their lives, coping with fallout, and managing viral effects (Huff, 2020). Thus, the statistics show that from 20% to 40% of critically ill patients and 80% of those who required a mechanical ventilator demonstrated the signs of delirium (Huff, 2020). Moreover, they also acquire depressive and asocial behaviors that prevent them from cooperating with their close people or coming back to normal lives (Huff, 2020). Under these conditions, using nature relatedness is an option to help patients to cope with problems and experience less severe effects of diseases.
As for the personal experience, the importance of nature-relatedness can be evidenced by the fact that survivors of COVID-19 still might experience pain or demonstrate depressive behaviors complicated by mental health problems. For lonely patients who belong to the group risk because of their age, the topic becomes even more topical. They feel loss, hopelessness, and the fear of spending the rest of their lives in hospitals. It becomes vital to explain the need for wearing masks and using positive thinking linked to nature relatedness to help them rehabilitate and enjoy a high quality of life.
Altogether, it is possible to conclude about the positive correlation between nature relatedness of patients and their well-being. The pandemic we observe today preconditions the increased need for practices that will help people to remain mentally and physically sound, and by using nature orientation, it is possible to attain significant shifts in their thinking patterns. Research papers outline the minimization of the risk of depression, delirium, and improved relations with close people. For this reason, the well-being of patients can be linked to their ability to focus on nature-oriented practices, which, in their turn, are a good choice for the promotion of healthy lifestyles and improvement of the health of the nation.
References
Dean, J., Shanahan, D., Bush, R., Gaston, K., Lin, B., Barber, E., Franco, L., & Fuller, R. (2018). Is nature relatedness associated with better mental and physical health? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(7), 1371.
Huff, C. (2020). Delirium, PTSD, brain fog: The aftermath of surviving COVID-19. American Psychological Association, 51(6). Web.