Depressogenic Environment: A framework to prioritise the environment in mental health science

The important role of the environment in mental health has long been recognised by scholars, however, environmental influences and interventions are still sidelined in research, funding, intervention and policy. The lack of a unifying term and corresponding framework has limited our ability as a field to effectively communicate with each other and with external stakeholders about the importance of environmental factors for mental health. The aim of this paper is to provide a definition and framework for the depressogenic environment in mental health science. Depressogenic environment refers to the physical, political, economic and socio-cultural environments that create, maintain or increase mental ill-health. They operate at the micro (homes, schools, workplaces) and macro levels (systems, regions, countries) and include chronic (e.g. infrastructure, cultural beliefs, laws) and acute (e.g. natural disasters, war, recession) factors. I outline the need for this framework, how it compliments other existing frameworks and discuss it’s potential for accelerating insights into the powerful role of the environment in shaping the mental health of individuals and populations. By understanding the role of environmental factors in shaping our mental health and ill-health, researchers, clinicians and policymakers can develop new and more effective strategies for mental health prevention and intervention that go beyond the focus on individual behaviours and healthcare access.