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Sooo ... What's the consensus? I'm struggling with 'chicken or the egg' thing.
Do more mentally unstable people gravitate towards the city? Or does the city induce poor mental health?
See, I'm a believer that one of the least contentious parts of the US Pop Control Plan (1974), the discouragement of rural life in favor of urban & suburban; was actually very unhealthy & went against the literal 'genetic memory' in many of us. Of course, if we were ever to learn whether or not the 'Farm Crisis' was intentionally manipulated, I suppose it would no longer be the 'least contentious'.
So I just wonder if that's why it feels so pointless & empty to many, to live an urban life. It's really not where we were supposed to be.
On the other hand, in my area, there are pockets of rural areas where people who 'do not play well with others' have intentionally gravitated towards. That's why back in the early 2000s, the infamous "Texas Seven' were able to live amongst others up in the hills (mountains) undetected. They were in one of those little trailer parks off a dirt road where people go to hide from their past. There are dozens of them up there with the 'don't ask don't tell' mentality & some of those people are very scary individuals.
Am I the only one who read the abstract that showed there is NOT enough evidence to link the two?
CONCLUSIONS:
Despite accumulated data, the majority of studies conducted so far failed to explain how specific factors of urban environment combine in patients' daily life to create protective or disruptive milieus. This undermines the translation of a vast epidemiological knowledge into effective therapeutic and urbanistic developments. New studies on urbanicity should therefore be more interdisciplinary, bridging knowledge from different disciplines (psychiatry, epidemiology, human geography, urbanism, etc.) in order to enrich research methods, ensure the development of effective treatment and preventive strategies as well as create urban environments that will contribute to mental well-being.
Am I the only one who read the abstract that showed there is NOT enough evidence to link the two?
CONCLUSIONS:
Despite accumulated data, the majority of studies conducted so far failed to explain how specific factors of urban environment combine in patients' daily life to create protective or disruptive milieus. This undermines the translation of a vast epidemiological knowledge into effective therapeutic and urbanistic developments. New studies on urbanicity should therefore be more interdisciplinary, bridging knowledge from different disciplines (psychiatry, epidemiology, human geography, urbanism, etc.) in order to enrich research methods, ensure the development of effective treatment and preventive strategies as well as create urban environments that will contribute to mental well-being.
No, it just says it cannot identify the specific contributory factors that in tandem create the issue in a manner that could be addressed to mitigate the effects.
In other words, they know it happens, they don't know how to fix it through manipulating specific factors that combine to create the problem.
This recent peer reviewed paper showed up as a reference in an article I was skimming so I gave it a read.
The abstract I will list below. My apologies for not linking to the full text but it's behind a paywall (oddly my grad school credentials still work) :https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31389169
I vaguely remember this being discussed in an undergrad intro psychology class I took as a Gen Ed, but not in any sort of depth.
So, this begs the question, why do people in cities go nuts at a disproportionately higher rate?
Probably the high stress level needed to keep up with increasingly high rent, and limited social life because everybody is working multiple jobs just to keep a roof over their head. Ok, a bit hyperbolic, but still....
This recent peer reviewed paper showed up as a reference in an article I was skimming so I gave it a read.
The abstract I will list below. My apologies for not linking to the full text but it's behind a paywall (oddly my grad school credentials still work) :https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31389169
I vaguely remember this being discussed in an undergrad intro psychology class I took as a Gen Ed, but not in any sort of depth.
So, this begs the question, why do people in cities go nuts at a disproportionately higher rate?
Well it depends on the city.
In the Rust Belt, you often wonder why people did not lose their minds sooner. Like, outside of Dayton, you don't hear about a lot of mass casualties there, outside of the usual 'hood stuff, which is drug related 9 times out of 10. I wouldn't blame people. Living in Ohio there were times when even the best people could be provoked in certain ways.
But I tend to miss it. I'm in Virginia which to me is more politically correct, for obvious reasons, and while I still have the room to be myself, whatever that is for that day, I just don't feel like people are as blunt and direct as they were back in Ohio.
I've been to the Northeast, and I actually think people are great out there. Interactions are short, brief, and while people like to hear themselves talk whatever they're talking about is entertaining most times. I don't mind the narcissism.
The only "wall" I ever noticed was with people out West. I get a sense that the self people want to project, what they want portrayed, is not the self that people actually are. Its really weird.
At the end of the day I'll probably go back to the simple Midwestern life. Dull, boring, but direct, with that hard working factory/labor vibe. But no unions. People philosophize and pontificate a lot out here and nothing interesting ever gets done. I understand it is an existence Virginia has carved out for herself but honestly if nothing is going to happen why talk about anything.
I don't know; I love the city and I tried living the country and did not like it. Entirely too much time to be alone with your thoughts. I love the noise of the city; both literal and metaphorically. It is very entertaining. Sometimes when I feel I don't get enough of it in Virginia I head out to the resort area or some other dense, urban nook and cranny just to get a taste of it. I like noise. Noise is good. Yeah the city is full of crazy people but none of us are 100%. I can see why people go out into the country but it is not for me. Maybe if I were more into the outdoors and preservation and other stuff I would appreciate it a bit more. But it is good in spurts from time to time. Everyone should try it, same as everyone should try LA, or NYC, for a bit. The city isn't everything, and it isn't for everyone. But nothing is.
Indeed, there really is no dispute among mental health professionals that a positive correlation exists between urban living and the development of mental illness. Its not a cause and effect relationship, but it’s a definite risk factor. No question about it.
What is not conclusively known is why this correlation exists. The article expands on many interesting possibilities
I read another study that said people in urban areas were more intelligent than rural dwellers.
Not saying there is a connection between psychosis and intelligence.
I'm rural and intelligent (no psychosis), not attracted to big cities, tried one didn't like it.
Also don't like very small towns where everyone knows everything, a little anonymity is nice.
That isn't the case at all. Trust me, that definitely is not the case. There are different implementations of intelligence, different applications, for different situations. Cities might be successful in creating conditions where people adapt, for whatever reason, but that does not equate into anymore being smarter. There are just different things a person has to deal with in the city, that's all.
Plus, a lotta talk about inclusiveness, yet little acceptance for people that are a little offbeat. Certain behaviours and mannerisms can make you a magnet for assault and crime, which exacerbates isolation. Politics has embedded itself into everything like the tentacles of a box jellyfish. Very claustrophobic. If you can successfully shut that all out, and be successful without a solid foundation, you're likely to be dancing on the edge of sanity.
You obviously don't know any of the loons I have had the pleasure of making their acquaintance. From cities big and large and from rural areas. There's something for everyone you would fit in fine. But no one rolls out the welcome mat for you, and that's where cities are isolating. You have to be aggressive, preferably, assertive if you want to survive. Country people that are outgoing and will walk up to anyone and talk to anyone get along great in the city, any city. People that are shy and introverted will have a hard time same as the people that are already in the city that are shy and introverted have a hard time. But people make their own social networks it does not happen overnight.
Typically in a city, if you're new there and you don't know anything, the first people crazy enough to include you, you're in that social network with them and their friends until you realize how crazy they are and you walk away and do your own thing. Eventually you're the outgoing one and you're the one "recruiting" people. On some days you don't want to deal with anyone, including your own mother. Typical day in the city. I'm indifferent where I'm at now but there is never a dull moment. Always something to do. If nothing else I'll just see what's happening in my city and go out and meet a bunch of strangers. Why not.
No, it just says it cannot identify the specific contributory factors that in tandem create the issue in a manner that could be addressed to mitigate the effects.
In other words, they know it happens, they don't know how to fix it through manipulating specific factors that combine to create the problem.
At least we have choices. In other countries the difficulty of rural living is several orders of magnitude greater. Which is why they have cities with like 50 million people. We don't have that in the United States.
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