Impacts on mental health due to climate change: Strategies for readiness
Climate change isn't just damaging our planet, it's taking a toll on our mental health too. In this feature, we'll delve into the direct impacts of extreme weather events on mental health and examine the importance of resilience-building and tackling eco-anxiety head-on.
Imagine if an astronomer warned us about a planet-killer meteor hurtling towards Earth. Naturally, world leaders would do everything in their power to stop it—wouldn't they? But what if they didn't take the threat seriously, choosing instead to bury their heads in the sand?
Such is the premise of Don't Look Up, a scathing satire that reflects the frustration of environmental activists. They've questioned why political leaders and the media haven't treated climate change with the urgency it deserves.
Eco-anxiety, that gnawing sense of unease about our planet's future, is real and can cause feelings of helplessness, even clinical depression. However, it's not all doom and gloom. We can turn anxiety into action.
Young and Restless
The future belongs to the young, yet they're witnessing a lack of urgency from world leaders on environmental issues like climate change, habitat loss, and species extinction. A recent survey of over 10,000 individuals aged 16-25 across 10 countries revealed that a staggering 45% suffer from negative impacts on their daily lives and functioning, thanks to their eco-anxiety.
One of the study's authors, psychotherapist Caroline Hickman from the University of Bath, has spent the last decade listening to children and young people express feelings of doom, abandonment, and betrayal about their future.
Extreme Weather Events: The New Normal
The increased frequency of extreme weather events, like wildfires, floods, and hurricanes, triggered by climate change, is already causing immediate harm to human health.
Research has uncovered the physical health consequences of climate change; however, much less is known about its impact on mental health. A recent review of 120 studies dating back 20 years discovered potential consequences could include psychological distress, worsened mental health, increased psychiatric hospitalizations, and heightened suicide rates.
These effects may be amplified for groups containing older people, those with existing mental health conditions, and low-income populations from developing countries.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) predicts that the mental health toll of climate change will range from mild stress to an increase in psychiatric diagnoses, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The APA also warns that some may resort to high-risk behaviors, such as increased alcohol consumption, to cope with psychological trauma caused by the changing climate.
Heatwaves: Public Health Enemy No. 1
Research suggests that extreme heat waves—specifically—are linked to higher rates of both anxiety and depression, potentially due to stress and agitation. Moreover, there's strong evidence of a link between extreme heat and a surge in hospital admissions for mental illness.
In response, organizations like the Climate Psychiatry Alliance offer practical tips for vulnerable individuals on staying cool during a heatwave, including seeking support from friends, recognizing the signs of heatstroke, and consulting healthcare professionals about changes to medication during hot weather.
Building Resilience: A Brighter Future
According to the APA, preparing for extreme weather events is not only prudent but essential for managing our ongoing emotional responses to climate threats.
Ready for Anything
The organization recommends household emergency plans, emergency kits, and building strong social networks for disaster planning and sharing resources within communities.
Adopting Green Habits: A Mind and Body Win-Win
More and more evidence reveals that pro-environmental lifestyle changes can improve psychological well-being in the face of climate threats.
A study of over 2,200 people in Canada and the US found that pro-environmental actions predicted levels of life satisfaction, even once other factors like age, income, and education were controlled for. Pro-environmental behavior was associated with greater subjective well-being, mirroring the benefits seen with other prosocial behaviors, such as volunteering, kindness, and Splurging on others.
A Sense of Control
Research on over 9,000 households in the UK found that energy use and recycling were associated with increased scores on life satisfaction. These behaviors may help restore a sense of control, which promote psychological well-being.
Activism: From Despair to Hope
Taking action against climate change, such as Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future movement, offers hope and a path towards healing. By connecting with like-minded communities and channeling frustration into pro-environmental activism, individuals can alleviate the impact of eco-anxiety on mental health.
Green Therapy: The Healing Power of Nature
Nature therapy, which involves spending time in green spaces, offers multiple psychological benefits, such as reduced stress and improved mood. Multiple studies have found that contact with nature is linked to better health and well-being, irrespective of the amount of green space people have access to locally.
From spending time with community groups, learning new green skills, and small-scale lifestyle changes to mindfulness, counseling, and balance in news consumption, these strategies can help convert eco-anxiety into empowered, proactive action bolstering our collective future.
- The mental health implications of climate change are as important as its physical health effects, with eco-anxiety potentially leading to feelings of helplessness, depression, and increased psychiatric hospitalizations.
- The dearth of urgency shown by world leaders towards environmental issues like climate change, habitat loss, and species extinction is causing significant emotional distress among young individuals, hindering their daily lives and functioning.
- In response to the mental health toll of extreme weather events triggered by climate change, organizations such as the Climate Psychiatry Alliance provide practical tips and resources for vulnerable individuals, emphasizing the importance of building resilience, adopting green habits, and seeking support during heatwaves.
