It has long been alleged that denizens of megapolises are more susceptible to mental disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and depression. Hallucinations and delusions are also more prevalent in big cities.
However, new research published in the journal Science Advances has sort of challenged this wide-spread opinion, though its findings are a far cry from a complete debunking.
The findings detailed that while urban dwelling indeed is associated with depression, gloomy mood is much more widespread among denizens of suburbs than those who live in a city center.
Researchers outlined in their study that city centers provide opportunities for social networking, which in turn proves extremely beneficial for one's mental health.
However, suburbs - characterized by single-family housing - are said to create a sort of social vacuum. In order to communicate with somebody not via internet individuals need to sometimes undertake an hourslong road to the city center, a feat that compounds daily stressors.
To summarize, city centers, where money never sleeps and restaurants work 24/7, have lower depression risks when compared to the 'burbs.
Officials were able to pinpoint their findings through the use of satellite imagery and machine learning, as well as taking factors such as one's health and socioeconomic. The results were specifically pulled from Danish populations.