Mental environment

Short description: Societal influences on mental health

The mental environment refers to the sum of all societal influences upon mental health.

The term is often used in a context critical of the mental environment in industrialized societies. It is argued that just as industrial societies produce physical toxins and pollutants which harm humans physical health, they also produce psychological toxins (e.g. television, excessive noise, violent marketing tactics, Internet addiction, social media) that cause psychological damage.[1]

This poor mental environment may help explain why rates of mental illness are reportedly higher in industrial societies which might also have its roots in poor educational environment and mechanical routinised life present. Magico-religious beliefs are an important contribution of such communal settings. Delusions such as these rooted from childhood are often hard to completely regulate from a person's life.[2]

The idea has its roots in evolutionary psychology, as the deleterious consequences of a poor mental environment can be explained by the mismatch between the mental environment humans evolved to exist within and the one they exist within today.

"We live in both a mental and physical environment. We can influence the mental environment around us, but to a far greater extent we are influenced by the mental environment. The mental environment contains forces that affect our thinking and emotions and that can dominate our personal minds." - Marshall Vian Summers

Mental states can be shaped by various factors,[3][4] including social and cultural norms,[5] family and friendship relationships,[6] education and learning experiences, media and technology, as well as individual temperament and character.[7] These states can significantly impact a person's mental health and well-being by influencing their mood, thoughts, and behavior.

A study conducted at Harvard University found that interacting with positive people increases the likelihood of feeling happy by 25%.[8] Additionally, according to research at Stanford Business School, having a mentor or advisor in the professional field can double the likelihood of career success.[9]

In certain cases, environmental factors affect mental health[10] by altering the structure and functions of the brain. Studies conducted on children confirm this, noting that children raised in unfavorable conditions generally experience delayed brain development,[11] which increases the risk of memory problems, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues.

## See also

* Brain health and pollution
* Effects of climate change on mental health
* Environmental psychology
* Healthy building
* Horticultural therapy
* Right to a healthy environment
* Socioeconomic status and mental health
* Therapeutic garden

## References

1. ↑ Gebelein, Bob (October 4, 2007). The Mental Environment (Mostly about Mind Pollution) (1st ed.). Omdega Press. ISBN 978-0-9614611-2-6. http://www.omdega.com/mentalenvironment.html. [page needed]
2. ↑ Vlachos, Ioannis O.; Beratis, Stavroula; Hartocollis, Peter (1997). "Magico-Religious Beliefs and Psychosis". Psychopathology 30 (2): 93–9. doi:10.1159/000285035. PMID 9168565.
3. ↑ "Factors That Influence Or Affecting Mental Health". www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au. https://www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au/supporting-my-mental-health/factors-that-can-affect-your-mental-health/.
4. ↑ "Factors that affect mental health". www.mentalhealth.org.uk. https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/factors-affect-mental-health.
5. ↑ "Culture & Mental Health: The Connection". therapybrands.com. 5 September 2022. https://therapybrands.com/blog/the-role-of-culture-in-mental-health/.
6. ↑ "How Family and Friends Affect Our Mental Health". www.mindbodypinnaclehealth.com. 14 June 2024. https://www.mindbodypinnaclehealth.com/post/how-family-and-friends-affect-our-mental-health.
7. ↑ "Personality and Behavior Changes - Mental Health Disorders". www.msdmanuals.com. https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/mental-health-disorders/overview-of-mental-health-care/personality-and-behavior-changes.
8. ↑ "The Power of Influence: How Our Environment Shapes Us and Our Development". www.compass.education. https://www.compass.education/uk/post/the-power-of-influence/.
9. ↑ "The Role of Mentors and Coaches in Supporting Individual Development Plans". vorecol.com. https://vorecol.com/blogs/blog-the-role-of-mentors-and-coaches-in-supporting-individual-development-plans-9439.
10. ↑ "How your Environment Affects your Mental Health". ncps.com. November 2018. https://ncps.com/blog/posts/how-your-environment-affects-your-mental-health.
11. ↑ McLaughlin, K. A.; Sheridan, M. A.; Lambert, H. K. (2014). "Childhood Adversity and Neural Development: Deprivation and Threat as Distinct Dimensions of Early Experience". Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 47: 578–591. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.10.012. PMID 25454359.

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