1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,400
You know, when you sent over all these articles about hurricanes, I have to admit, I wasn't

2
00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,360
really expecting to get so caught up on the psychology of it all.

3
00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:08,800
Yeah, it's one of those things, right?

4
00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:13,360
It's easy to overlook the human cost when you're focused on the physical damage.

5
00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:14,360
Exactly.

6
00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:15,360
It's all about the wind and the water.

7
00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:20,600
But then you've got this other storm kind of brewing inside people long after the sky's

8
00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:21,600
clear.

9
00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:27,680
This 2021 study from social science and medicine, this one really got me thinking, they found

10
00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:32,720
that just believing you've got access to some nice green spaces can actually make a difference

11
00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,400
in your mental health after a hurricane.

12
00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:37,120
Really interesting stuff.

13
00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:42,200
That particular study was looking at the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, specifically

14
00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:47,400
how green spaces played into whether someone was more or less likely to experience probable

15
00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:48,400
PTSD.

16
00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:49,400
Okay, now hold on a sec.

17
00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,320
For those of us who aren't, you know, researchers and scientists, what exactly are we talking

18
00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,720
about when we say probable PTSD?

19
00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:55,720
Good question.

20
00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,520
Essentially, it means that someone's showing many of the same symptoms you would expect

21
00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:05,160
with PTSD things like intrusive thoughts, anxiety, avoiding certain situations, but

22
00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,240
they haven't necessarily been clinically diagnosed with PTSD.

23
00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:12,800
Okay, so it's like they're somewhere on that spectrum of trauma response.

24
00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:13,800
Exactly.

25
00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,320
And what's fascinating is the researchers found that people who felt their neighborhoods

26
00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:22,720
had access to better quality green spaces, they were significantly less likely to experience

27
00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,560
those probable PTSD symptoms.

28
00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:27,560
And the numbers are pretty compelling.

29
00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:33,160
Basically what they found was that the prevalence of probable PTSD was lower with access to

30
00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,320
those green spaces, even when they accounted for things like how much damage their home

31
00:01:37,320 --> 00:01:39,320
sustained or how much money they made.

32
00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:42,740
So even if someone went through a really, really rough time during the hurricane, just

33
00:01:42,740 --> 00:01:46,920
having somewhere like a nice park to go to could still have a protective effect on their

34
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:47,920
mental health.

35
00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:49,880
That's what this research is pointing to, yeah.

36
00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:54,080
And it gets at the heart of why we're doing this deep dive today right there.

37
00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:58,360
You were drawn to those personal stories in that NBC news piece, the ones that really

38
00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,920
put a human face on the statistics.

39
00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,400
It's those human moments that really stick with you.

40
00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:08,000
Like there was that family who had to evacuate for both Hurricane Milton and Helene back to

41
00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:09,280
back.

42
00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,120
Imagine trying to stay strong for your kids when you're staring down two category five

43
00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,200
storms just weeks apart.

44
00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,960
It's not even just the immediate threat, is it?

45
00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,200
It's knowing that another storm could be right around the corner.

46
00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,760
The New York Times article, they described it as waiting for the ball to drop.

47
00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:26,760
Powerful imagery.

48
00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:28,880
It's that feeling you get after a scary movie.

49
00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:30,600
Only it's your life and it's real.

50
00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:34,400
And that CU and Schitt's article, the one with the doctor who was battling leukemia

51
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:38,120
while facing down another hurricane, talk about layers of stress.

52
00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:39,120
Absolutely.

53
00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,200
And that's what makes this whole green space angle so fascinating.

54
00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:44,360
It's not just about making neighborhoods prettier.

55
00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:48,160
It's about creating spaces that might actually help people heal and recover.

56
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,200
Okay, so we've established that hurricanes are rough on your mental state.

57
00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,960
But how do green spaces help?

58
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,960
I mean, is it really as simple as nature is calming?

59
00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,960
Well, thankfully it's a bit more nuanced than that.

60
00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,120
The 2021 study, they actually looked at two main theories about why this connection might

61
00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:07,120
exist.

62
00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,400
The first is attention restoration theory.

63
00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,600
Basically, the idea is that our brains are kind of hardwired to stay alert, especially

64
00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,120
when we're facing down danger.

65
00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,560
Which makes sense during a hurricane, your survival kind of depends on you paying attention,

66
00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:19,560
right?

67
00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:20,560
Exactly.

68
00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,840
Problem is, that constant vigilance, it takes a toll.

69
00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:27,280
Attention restoration theory, it suggests that green spaces give our brains a break

70
00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:32,640
from being on all the time, which lets us restore our focus and think more clearly.

71
00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:34,040
Like hitting the reset button.

72
00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:35,040
Exactly.

73
00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:39,560
And then you've got stress reduction theory, which is all about how nature affects us physically.

74
00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:44,440
Being in green spaces has been shown to actually lower your stress hormones, like cortisol,

75
00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:48,120
even reduce your blood pressure, like a mini vacation for your body and mind.

76
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:49,120
Sign me up.

77
00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,840
So, we're talking about these green spaces being these little OACs of calm in our hectic

78
00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:54,840
world.

79
00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:55,840
In a way, yeah.

80
00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:59,960
And what's really interesting is that the 2021 study found a connection between having

81
00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:06,560
access to green spaces, what they called emotional resilience, and that lower likelihood

82
00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,480
of PTSD we talked about.

83
00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:09,480
Emotional resilience.

84
00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,480
So, like your ability to bounce back from tough times.

85
00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:13,480
Exactly.

86
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,280
And it's just about feeling calmer in that moment.

87
00:04:16,280 --> 00:04:19,920
It's about building up your capacity to deal with stress and trauma in general.

88
00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:22,200
Okay, now that makes a lot of sense.

89
00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:24,080
This is where I get a little lost though.

90
00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:29,080
What exactly did they mean by perceived quality of green spaces?

91
00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,800
Isn't a patch of grass, any patch of grass, better than nothing?

92
00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:33,800
That's where it gets interesting.

93
00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,320
So, they actually use both objective and subjective measures of green space.

94
00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,640
Objective being things like using satellite images to measure how much actual greenery

95
00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:47,280
there is, and then subjective being focused on how people actually experience those spaces.

96
00:04:47,280 --> 00:04:50,840
So someone could live near a park, but still not feel like it's a valuable green space

97
00:04:50,840 --> 00:04:51,840
to them.

98
00:04:51,840 --> 00:04:52,920
Exactly.

99
00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,440
That perceived quality really matters.

100
00:04:55,440 --> 00:05:00,640
It's about things like how safe you feel in that space, if it's well maintained, even

101
00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:01,960
just personal preference.

102
00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:06,520
You know, one person's idea of a restorative green space might be someone else's anxiety

103
00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:07,520
trigger.

104
00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,840
It's all about that personal connection to nature.

105
00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:10,920
You got it.

106
00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,440
And while we're talking about connections, it's kind of interesting what they didn't

107
00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:15,440
find.

108
00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:20,200
See, they were also exploring if maybe green spaces helped reduce PTSD because they helped

109
00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:25,160
build stronger community ties, like the park brings people together, that kind of thing.

110
00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,040
But that connection, it wasn't as strong as they expected.

111
00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:32,960
So maybe it's more about that individual experience of nature, that feeling of, I don't know, finding

112
00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,560
some peace and something bigger than yourself.

113
00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,280
Yeah, I think you're onto something.

114
00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:41,520
And it made me think about that 2007 study from the American Journal of Public Health,

115
00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,000
the one on the mental health effects of the 2004 Florida hurricanes.

116
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:50,160
The one that found that PTSD rates were actually lower than they expected after those hurricanes.

117
00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:51,160
That's the one.

118
00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:56,240
Now, that study wasn't about green spaces or anything, but it did point out how important

119
00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:00,200
timing and context are when you're doing this kind of research.

120
00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,440
Different disasters, different communities, different responses.

121
00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:08,160
So what you're saying is that every hurricane is unique when it comes to how it affects

122
00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:09,840
people psychologically.

123
00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:11,360
I think so, yeah.

124
00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:15,440
And that's why I think this research on green spaces is so important.

125
00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,800
It might actually give us a way to reduce those negative impacts no matter what the circumstances

126
00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:20,800
are.

127
00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:25,360
And that's what makes the focus on perceived quality in that 2021 study so interesting,

128
00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:26,360
you know?

129
00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,840
Yeah, it's not like just plopping down some random patch of glass is going to magically

130
00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:31,320
heal a community.

131
00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:32,320
Definitely not.

132
00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:33,320
Yeah.

133
00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:34,320
It's not more than that, right?

134
00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,360
These green spaces have to be more than just nice to look at.

135
00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,600
They need to feel safe, welcoming, restorative.

136
00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:44,640
Which makes me think about that woman from the NBC article, the one who was so devastated

137
00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:46,560
about the damage to the beaches.

138
00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:48,440
Oh, right, yeah.

139
00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:51,440
Beaches, they're definitely green spaces too, even if we don't always think of them that

140
00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:52,440
way.

141
00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,920
It's all about that connection to nature, right?

142
00:06:54,920 --> 00:07:01,000
Feeling that sense of peace, that expansiveness, especially after something as crazy and destructive

143
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,080
as a hurricane.

144
00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:03,080
For sure.

145
00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,720
That brings up another good point that that study didn't really touch on.

146
00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:12,000
Could the actual type of green space change how much it helps your mental health?

147
00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:17,760
Like is a community garden going to be just as helpful as a huge national park?

148
00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,280
Or how about just a street with a bunch of trees?

149
00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,360
Is that enough to make a difference?

150
00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:23,360
Good question.

151
00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:28,080
I mean, we know from the research that even just believing you have access to good quality

152
00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,600
green space can have a positive effect.

153
00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:31,600
Exactly.

154
00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,320
But there's still a lot we don't know about the specifics.

155
00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,920
What makes one green space more impactful than another?

156
00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:38,640
We're just starting to scratch the surface.

157
00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,280
And that's where maybe our listeners can do a little research of their own.

158
00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:42,280
There you go.

159
00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:44,440
Pay attention next time you're in nature.

160
00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,360
Which parts of it bring you the most peace?

161
00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:49,000
What makes you feel the most clear-headed, the most joyful?

162
00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:54,760
Is it a big group of trees or the sound of water or the smell of fresh cut grass?

163
00:07:54,760 --> 00:08:00,240
What is it about that particular green space that makes it feel restorative to you?

164
00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:01,240
I love that.

165
00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:03,680
I love our crowdsourcing well-being or something.

166
00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:05,320
And it really highlights something important here.

167
00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,080
This isn't just about academics debating theories.

168
00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:13,680
It's about taking this knowledge and using it to help ourselves and our communities.

169
00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:14,680
Absolutely.

170
00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:19,320
And speaking of helping, that NBC article also mentioned a resource I think is super important,

171
00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,960
especially for anyone listening who might be feeling overwhelmed right now.

172
00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:24,520
The Disaster Distress Hotline.

173
00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,800
Yeah, that hotline is a lifeline for a lot of people.

174
00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:28,800
It's immediate support.

175
00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,520
Plus, it can connect people with local resources.

176
00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,840
Because sometimes just knowing you're not alone, that someone understands what you're

177
00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,160
going through, that can make all the difference.

178
00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:38,160
Absolutely.

179
00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:40,680
And if you know someone who's struggling, reach out to them.

180
00:08:40,680 --> 00:08:43,560
Let them know you're there, even if it's just to listen.

181
00:08:43,560 --> 00:08:46,160
Sometimes just listening is the best thing you can do.

182
00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:48,560
Okay, so to recap.

183
00:08:48,560 --> 00:08:52,840
We've talked about how profoundly hurricanes can affect you psychologically.

184
00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:57,200
We've explored this fascinating research suggesting that green spaces can be really

185
00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,680
helpful in recovering from those events.

186
00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:04,240
And we've talked about how important that individual connection, that personal experience,

187
00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:07,400
is when you're looking for spaces that feel restorative.

188
00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,640
And we've also acknowledged that there's still a lot we don't know.

189
00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:15,600
This whole relationship between green spaces, mental health, and recovering from disasters,

190
00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,320
we need way more research to fully understand it.

191
00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:20,400
That's what I think is so hopeful about all this, you know?

192
00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,440
Yeah, it's not just about pointing out a problem.

193
00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,360
It's about looking for solutions too.

194
00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:25,360
Exactly.

195
00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,160
And we're saying, everyone go find a park and your problems are solved.

196
00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:29,160
Right.

197
00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:33,160
This research, it could change so much from how we design our cities to how we prepare

198
00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,360
for disasters, even just in our everyday lives.

199
00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:40,280
Imagine if when they were planning out cities, they thought about parks and green spaces,

200
00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:45,120
not as decoration, but as like essential parts of what makes a community strong.

201
00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,360
Like little safe havens built right in.

202
00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:48,360
Right.

203
00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,000
And what if when they're rebuilding after a hurricane, it wasn't just houses and businesses,

204
00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,640
but they also made sure to fix up those green spaces.

205
00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,960
The places where people go to feel connected to nature and to each other.

206
00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:00,960
And you know, it doesn't even have to be a hurricane.

207
00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:05,080
Even if you don't live somewhere that has to deal with those kinds of storms, we can

208
00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,280
only use a little more green in our lives, right?

209
00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:08,280
Right.

210
00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,200
A walk in the park, a little garden, even just some house plants.

211
00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:12,200
Absolutely.

212
00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:13,600
And I think it's what we've really uncovered here.

213
00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,120
It's not just about making it through hurricane season.

214
00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,660
It's about learning to be more resilient in general, more aware, more connected to the

215
00:10:20,660 --> 00:10:21,760
natural world.

216
00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,760
It's about that connection between our mental health and our physical health.

217
00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:30,120
And realizing that sometimes the simplest things like getting out in nature can have

218
00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:31,480
a huge impact.

219
00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:34,480
So before we wrap up this deep dive, I want to leave you with this.

220
00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:35,480
Yeah.

221
00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,080
How can you bring a little more green into your life?

222
00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,880
And I don't mean just for the agram.

223
00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,520
I mean, for your own well-being.

224
00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:42,640
Something to think about.

225
00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:43,640
Who knows?

226
00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,360
You might just learn something new about yourself and the world around you.

227
00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:48,840
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive.

228
00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:51,840
We'll see you next time.