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... for all kinds of addictive substances from alcohol to drugs.
This is just a tiny, specific example of several much broader principles:
1) The Rat Park effect. Addiction is strongly driven by miserable environmental factors. In a positive environment, few individuals develop addiction and those who already have it tend to shake it off. So the most effective treatment for long-term recovery is putting people in a healthy, happy environment while that same environment minimizes the risk of developing addiction in the first place.
2) Nature views boost healing from all kinds of illness and injury. When separated from nature, people heal slower and feel worse while doing so. This informs the choice of hospital artwork and healing gardens, which are not "frills" but evidence-based parts of a treatment plan.
3) People need at least 2 hours of nature per week for health. Nature deficit disorder causes a wide range of mental and physical problems in people of all ages, although it was originally described regarding children. This problem affects many people in modern society, with ruinous results.
In short: if you don't have problems, lack of nature is likely to give you some; and if you have problems, exposure to nature can help them or at least make you feel better.
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