'I couldn't figure out why I was anxious all the time. Then I learnt about zoochosis.'

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Our collective mental health has never been worse.

In September, the World Health Organisation shared that more than one billion of us are living with mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression.

There are, of course, many reasons for this … the unbearable cost of living, the disastrous housing crisis, a little thing called climate change (just to name a few).

But each generation had their struggles, right? I didn't live through a war, so who am I to complain if my fight-or-flight kicks in after another failed rental application?

Well, that was my thought process, anyway. Until I stumbled upon a word I'd never heard before: "Zoochosis."

Watch: What is Zoochosis? Post continues after video.

In a video posted to TikTok, therapist Sheena Schuy explained that zoochosis is a psychological condition that can develop in animals who are held captive in zoos.

According to In Defense of Animals [IDA], this form of psychosis causes animals to engage in "monotonous, obsessive, or repetitive behaviours".

For example, as Schuy said in her video, "elephants will grind down their tusks, and birds will rip out their own feathers."

As the name suggests, zoochosis isn't seen in wild environments where animals can "roam freely, interact socially, and problem solve", as per the IDA.

If you're thinking, what on earth does that have to do with human mental health? Allow me to explain…

Basically, according to Schuy, humans are now experiencing our own form of zoochosis in response to the "unnatural environment" of the modern world. And it's manifesting in the form of mental health issues.

In other words, the pressures of modern society are causing us to rip out our metaphorical feathers.

How fun!

This, however, isn't Schuy's original theory. The therapist first read about it in a book called Lost Connections by Johann Hari.

"You aren't a machine with broken parts. You are an animal whose needs are not being met," Hari wrote in the book.

While the author admitted that biological factors also impact mental health, he argued that they are not the main cause.

Listen: Adulthood anxiety — what to do when adulting feels impossible. Post continues below.

"You need to have community. You need to have meaningful values, not the junk values you've been pumped full of all your life, telling you happiness comes through money and buying objects. You need to have meaningful work. You need the natural world."

Schuy echoed this idea in her video, suggesting that anxiety and depression are heightened by "living in a capitalistic society."

"We've never had the mental load we've had. We've never been so disconnected from nature. We've never had this lack of community before," said the therapist.

"We are not living how human beings were meant to live, how we evolved to live, how our biology and anthropology shows us we were meant to live."

So, is this true? Am I an elephant grinding down my tusks?

Will my anxiety be cured if I throw my phone in a fountain like Andrea in The Devil Wears Prada and move to the woods? Can I bin my anti-depressants if I reject consumerism and form a tribe of hunters and gatherers?

Are we simply not cut out for the demands of an evolving society? Unsurprisingly, the answer is not that simple.

"There is no research that conclusively shows that we're unsuited to modern life," Liel Bridgford from the Australian Association of Psychologists [AAPi] told Mamamia.

"However, there is research suggesting that there are multiple factors of urban life that can negatively impact our mental health, including anxiety."

While "there is no clear-cut answer" when it comes to the nature-vs-nurture debate, Bridgford confirmed that the "pressures of modern life absolutely impact our mental health, including capitalism."

"The pressures to always do and produce certainly leaves a lot of people with greater distress," the psychologist said. "Even our exposure to and relationship with media and technology can significantly impact our sleep, stress and anxiety, for instance."

Of course, everyone is affected differently.

I'd hazard a guess that billionaire Elon Musk would be less anxious about the cost of living than someone well below his tax bracket, "especially when they are unable to fulfill society's expectations because of illness, disability, racism and other forms of disadvantage," Bridgford said.

So, what's the solution? Overturning capitalism? Learning to adapt? At the very least, the psychologist said, "understanding environmental causes can help us create societies that are conducive to mental wellbeing".

"It doesn't mean that we won't see any mental distress," she added. "But we will be able to create spaces that support everyone and prevent psychological harm that comes from discrimination, for instance."

But that's the big picture. What can we do on an individual level to avoid parting with more metaphorical feathers?

"Start with a focus on connection," Bridgford suggested. "Connection with yourself, with your emotions, connection with family or community, to culture, nature, spirituality and your values."

It's also important to "think critically" about our relationship with screens, and "optimise sleep hygiene by removing technology from your bedroom."

"Try to find small moments to connect with nature or animals in a way that is accessible to you," she added.

"Spend a couple of minutes at the start or end of your day reflecting on your connection with one of these aspects, and set small goals to deepen these connections in your life." 

Feature Image: Supplied