The number of people living in homes with very little outdoor space is increasing with the ever-growing population of cities. In my opinion, this is a negative trend by and large due to the reasons discussed in this essay.
As the population of cities increases, the cost of living in them goes up enormously and the most obvious effect of this trend can be seen in housing cost and rents. As a result, fewer people can afford to live in big apartments or houses with considerable outdoor spaces such as a backyard or a balcony.
This trend leads to several negative outcomes. The psychological aspect of it is without a doubt the most significant one. As residents move to smaller apartment units that are out of touch with nature and the outside world, they can develop several mental disorders, depression and anxiety, just to name a few.
Moreover, living in these types of housing units can also deter the people living in them from starting a family. For instance, when young renters barely have any space in home for themselves, the idea of sharing that small house with anyone, even a spouse or a child, may seem intimidating. Eventually, this will lead to a decreased birthrate in big cities. In addition, even if the residents start a family while living in these houses, the lack of outdoor areas will undoubtedly have adverse effects on the development of children who are brought up there. Since they don’t have any space outside to play in, they can become dependent on always being indoors and even develop social anxiety. Consequently, living in these houses and apartments has adverse effects on all members of a household.
In conclusion, there is a trend of more and more people living in housing units with very little or no outside areas as a result of the growth in the population of cities. This has led to a number of concerning consequences and therefore is a negative development in my opinion.