How Camping and Survival Camps Strengthen Mental Health and Resilience

Turns out, heading out into the wilderness for camping or survival adventures isn't just fun—it's actually really good for your mental health. More and more, people are realizing that spending time in nature and doing outdoorsy stuff can seriously chill you out. It can help with stress, anxiety, and even those down-in-the-dumps feelings, while making you feel happier and more satisfied with life (Capaldi, Passmore, Nisbet, Zelenski, & Dopko, 2015). And get this, studies show that just being around trees and nature can actually lower your blood pressure and heart rate, which is pretty amazing (Ulrich et al., 1991). There's this idea called "biophilia" that basically says we're hardwired to love nature, and that's why it makes us feel good (Wilson, 1984). It's like, being in nature just naturally boosts your mood, helps you stress less, and even makes your brain work better. Plus, hanging out in green spaces can bump up your serotonin, which is the happy chemical in your brain (Bratman, Hamilton, Hahn, Daily, & Gross, 2015).

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