Laith Habash 

The city of Zarqa suffers from a significant shortage of green spaces and public parks provided by the state, which negatively affects the mental well-being and activities of young people. In this context, a number of young men and women from Zarqa were contacted to talk more about the issue.

Testimonial 1: "Public parks are not only for entertainment; they are a space for psychological relaxation, for exercise, and for taking a break and enjoying yourself. In Zarqa, honestly, we have a very small number of them that exist here; they are almost nonexistent. This actually makes families and young people face difficulty finding a place that is truly safe and comfortable where we can relax or spend time."

Testimonial 2: "Honestly, the lack of parks in Zarqa has affected us a lot because there are no free places where we can go out and change our atmosphere. Most young people have started spending their time in malls or cafés, and this is expensive and not available to everyone."

Testimonial 3: "I see that the lack of parks has affected social relationships because there are no simple and nearby places for people to gather. Having more parks could give the city a more beautiful life and more activity."

Testimonial 4: "Zarqa is a large city crowded with people, and despite that, the entertainment options there are very limited. Even public parks are supposed to be essential, especially for children and young people, because they provide an escape away from daily pressures and overcrowding."

Based on this, and after communicating with a number of young men and women from the city of Zarqa, a psychological expert was contacted to talk more about the topic:

"I am Dhoni Handila, a licensed psychological counselor from the Ministry of Health. Green spaces, or the lack of them, greatly affect the mental state of young people because they increase levels of stress, anxiety, and low mood. Our brains respond to nature in a way that helps them calm down more and reduces the release of stress hormones."

"Also, trees, natural scenery, and greenery help a person focus more and reduce mental fatigue resulting from work, social pressure that happens around us, study pressure, and even from screen use. Therefore, when these green spaces decrease, stress and anxiety increase more among people."

"These spaces also provide a place for social interaction and a place for physical activity, which greatly help in increasing levels of hormones such as endorphins and serotonin, which are associated with happiness and psychological comfort in humans."

"So those are simply put, the main aspects. Green spaces are an urgent necessity connected to the mental and physical health of the city's residents, and they are not merely decorative luxuries. The lack of these spaces creates increasing pressures on young people, which requires serious action from the relevant authorities to restore environmental and social balance to the city and improve the quality of life there."