Nature Deficit Disorder

The environment that we live in and are surrounded by today has changed drastically by the “rapid move from a rural to a highly urbanized culture” (Louv 4). The modern way of life has taken over and nature has been tossed by the wayside. There has been a dramatic decrease in the amount of time that is spent away from civilization and outdoors in natural environments. Even when people do travel to parks, deserts, or woods, they never separate themselves from technology. Why would they? Instagram posts need to be made and texts need to be sent. It has become more important for people to show the world the wonderful places they are going than actually enjoying those places without technological distractions. 

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Every aspect of our lives has been affected by this change, including the school systems. More time is focused on academics so that modern society can continue to be maintained and improved. Since school has increased the time for testing, there is “no time for physical education, let alone exploring the outdoors” (Louv 1). Recess has been eliminated from many schools, which was a break in between learning where children could freely play outside. Outdoor activity leads to a balanced, healthy life in many ways, and there is no reason that should be taken away from children. Nature definitely is calming and restorative, which is shown in many studies that Louv brings up concerning nature’s beneficial affect on children with ADHD. One example was of Ansel Adams, a boy who was so hyperactive that he was kicked out of school; however, his parents took him to a California beach and observed “nature engaged and soothed him” (Louv 5). In various other cases, “subjects reported experiencing a sense of peace and ability to think more clearly” (Louv 5) simply by being in nature. Being outdoors is a beneficial experience in many ways, but people have just lost the time and desire to spend time in nature in this new fast-paced, heavily demanding world.

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ADHD symptoms can be reduced by nature; however, contrary to what Louv suggests, I do not believe that the “real disorder is less in the child than it is in the imposed, artificial environment” (Louv 11). I agree that ADHD can be helped through nature therapy and the restorative environment that nature provides, but simply because nature helps the symptoms of ADHD does not mean that lack of exposure to nature leads to it. This line of thinking I do not agree with. ADHD has been around for too long and there are many studies and results to justify that it is a disorder in itself. Many people can focus very well even when they do not get any exposure to nature in the day. The disorder is real and nature provides beneficial treatment for it. In addition, it is natural that our way of life has developed from its rural beginnings because learning and developing is inevitable. There are many great changes that have come out of urbanization, and they should not be downplayed. Society has not taken “nature and natural play away from children” (Louv 11) because there are still many, if not more, opportunities today to travel and explore the world. It is people who choose not to take them.

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