Air pollution, heavy traffic, packed streets,  and never-ending gray sidewalks– this is what big cities look like.

These may sound small problems, but research suggest otherwise.

According to studies, city dwellers have a 21% higher chance of getting anxiety disorders and a 39% higher risk of developing mood disorders than people living rurally.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Big City anxiety, why it happens, and how to overcome it.

What Causes Big City Anxiety? Research-Based Studies

Studies have shown many factors contributing to the development of urban anxiety.

It is important to recognize that the factors in the urban environment that enhance the risk of mental illness are not natural or unavoidable aspects of city life. 

They are, instead, the outcome of poor planning, design, and administration, and they are reversible. 

So what are these factors?

1. Pre-existing risk factors: 

Unemployment, homelessness, family or financial crisis, and physical or mental illness are reasons why most people move to the city in search of better services.

Therefore, the population that is already emotionally drained is more vulnerable to mental disorders after social drift.

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2. Social factors: 

If someone has any pre-existing mental health condition, low socioeconomic status, or belongs to a minority, they often encounter disparities in the big cities.

It may cause segregation in the neighborhood, and one feels hopelessness and injustice towards themselves, which further adds to the anxiety.

3. Environmental factors: 

The urban environment can have two major effects on people: increasing stimuli and removing protective factors.

Density, congestion, loudness, smells, sights, chaos, pollution, and the intensity of other inputs may overstimulate them. 

Overload can result from this, boosting the body’s baseline levels of arousal, stress, and planning.

 It stimulates people to seek relief and over time it leads to isolation and social detachment.

In addition, there is stripping away of protective factors such as limited access to nature, reduced relaxing time as there is more workload and increased commuting time around the city.

When people move from rural to urban cities, they leave behind their social circle, friends, and family, and it takes time to develop new bonds.

Mostly this is because they are so overwhelmed by urban life and its chaos that they become reluctant to engage in more activities.

This, in turn, makes them more isolated and prone to developing mental illness.

How To Prevent City Life To Affect Your Mental Health

• Get To Know More People

To feel connected to your new area, try to feel at ease with your surroundings. Get to know the shops where you can easily buy things.

Make acquaintances in the neighborhood to feel socially connected. It will benefit your brain when you feel at home and don’t feel like an outsider.

• Be Friends With Nature

Another factor that can have a negative effect on your brain is being disconnected from nature. 

This is particularly true if you live in an apartment surrounded by busy roads, sound pollution, and street litter.

Try to find a place that is close to green spaces, which is, in fact, one of the ways to combat stress.

Research suggests that people living close to nature are less likely to develop depression.

• Crowd Control

Big cities are usually overcrowded, and streets are packed with traffic. Someone is eating; someone is walking– everybody is doing something.

Walking in such crowded streets induces more anxiety as you feel breathless and suffocated.

If you live or work in the city, you can set up a better route from one location to another to avoid overcrowded streets. 

City life moves at a rapid pace, so whether you’re a guest or a resident, make the most of natural places to unwind.

• Workout

Working out is good for mental as well physical health. It not only boosts happy hormones but also improves the immune system, which helps promote cardiac health.

Some outdoor exercise classes are affordable and can be easily found in local neighborhoods if you can’t afford a gym membership.

• Take A Break

When living in one place seems daunting, and you can’t move for now, taking a break is a good idea.

For this, you can take a vacation to some nice place where you will feel relieved from your current life. 

It will help you bring back more zest and energy with a new and positive perspective.

If you are tired of the flurry of urban life, try to get to a rural setting where you enjoy the greenery with birds chirping or leaves falling during autumn.

If you had a quiet rural life in the past, plan a getaway, go to a mall, some good food joints, or do a walking tour to experience the hustle and bustle of urban life.

Moving at a different pace, even if it is for a few days, will have a positive effect on your mental health.

You might end up appreciating the life you had, or you may move to a new place that is more according to your preference.

• Get Help 

There are always health professionals ready to help you out. 

If you feel stuck and see no improvement in whatever you try, it’s best to seek medical help to deal with the situation where you feel unsafe and unworthy.

• Urban Living Has Its Perks 

People from rural areas often fantasize about urban life due to nightlife, career opportunities, and other perks.

Urban living has its perks and disadvantages. There are endless things to do; you never get bored, and there is always someone and somewhere to hang out.

Still, lack of natural exposure and pollution makes it chaotic; particularly, people who move from rural areas find it challenging to adjust.

Populace density, being awakened by sirens, gunshots, or other loud noises might cause mental health problems. 

This is why people living in urban settings feel depressed and anxious.

The Bottom Line

Living in urban cities is exciting, but after you get adjusted to it. When you first move in, it all seems hustle, leading to big-city anxiety.

Bringing yourself close to nature, working out, and getting to know people all contribute to better and healthier living.

You can also go for therapy to talk it out if nothing works for you.