The “Invisible” Threat of Climate Change on Mental Health
Climate change is recognized as one of the greatest risks to our physical health, but how about our psychological wellbeing?
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Climate change is recognized as one of the greatest risks to our overall health and wellbeing in the 21st century. The physical health impacts have been increasingly recognized in research, as societies struggle to adapt to the physical impacts of climate change, such as wildfires, flooding, and other extreme weather events.
It is clear that climate change has a direct link to human health, as climate change causes increased risks of foodborne, waterborne, and vector-borne diseases, non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and malnutrition, especially in food-insecure areas.
What many people may not know is that our changing climate has an immense impact on our psychological well-being. As most of us have witnessed, our healthcare systems are under extreme pressure because of the compounding factors of the global pandemic. Climate change will inevitably do the same, and to some extent, already has.
There is already evidence that documents some of the outcomes of climate-related mental health impacts. These can include:
- Increased levels of anxiety
- Increased stress reactions
- Strong emotional reactions such as fear, despair, and helplessness
- Loss of identity
- Post-traumatic stress disorders
Below, I have highlighted two vastly different case studies that articulate the connections between climate change and mental health, in order to showcase the growing tensions between climate and mental health.
Northern Canada and the Inuit
The Arctic is experiencing climate change at accelerated rates. Northern Canada is susceptible to warming permafrost, increased storm surges, and disruptions to wildlife and fragile ecosystems.
At the epicenter of this crisis are Inuit communities based in the North, who are experiencing significant mental health disparities compared to other non-Indigenous populations in Canada.
For many Inuit communities, land-based activities such as fishing, hunting, and foraging are integral to their traditional and cultural ways of living. In order to participate in these types of activities, there needs to be ideal weather conditions such as “stable, thick, and extensive” sea ice cover and snowy conditions for at least 7–8 months of the year.
Due to changes in weather patterns that are impacting the natural environments they heavily rely on, climate change is identified as a compounding factor to “pre-existing forms of stress and distress, and magnifying socio-economic disparities.”
In one study done in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, Inuit participants described the impact of the changing climate as “devastating,” “depressing,” “frustrating,” “sad,” “scary,” “worrisome,” and “extremely stressful.” This led to other mental health pathways of increased family stress, increased uses of drugs and alcohol, suicide ideation, and the amplification of other existing mental health problems such as trauma.
It is assumed that the conditions in which the Inuit function under will continue to worsen. It is safe to assume that other Indigenous Nations, such as Tuvaluans who are facing a race against time to rising sea levels, or the Maasai tribe in Kenya who are struggling with continuous droughts, are also vulnerable to the increasing negative linkages between climate and mental health.
As of right now, the relationships between mental health and climate are not well researched in many Indigenous communities, but the examples available from the Arctic region in Northern Canada illustrate a growing issue.
Bangladesh
It is well known that the nation of Bangladesh is exposed to the physical effects of climate change, most notably natural disasters in the form of floods. In fact, it is so severe in Bangladesh that the country’s monsoon season in 2020 resulted in the death of hundreds, hundreds of thousands marooned, and the destruction of 1.3 million homes.
These natural disasters have and will continue to impact the livelihoods and wellbeing of its citizens.
However, mental health risks due to climate is a very understudied topic in the region and requires special attention.
A team of researchers analyzed qualitative publications, written in English, from databases that referenced the mental/psychological aspects of climate change in Bangladesh.
Four main themes connected to climate change and mental health emerged.
- Post-hazard mental health risks
- Human (im)mobility
- Social tension and conflict
- Livelihood loss and hardship
Focusing on the first theme, researchers found that climate disasters impacted the psychological wellbeing of Bangladeshis in the short-term and long-term. For instance, disasters that have caused displacement, loss of homes, incomes, and livestock caused extreme emotional reactions such as anxiety and grief, as well as different forms of post-traumatic disorders. Women in waterlogged areas were recorded having intense fears of their children drowning and/or vivid visions and dreams of children they had already lost due to natural disasters.
Overall, researchers found that there were complex and overlapping themes among the climate-mental health relationship, that was especially exacerbated by gender inequality in the region.
Both of these case studies exemplify a couple of points.
- The rapid transformation of the environment due to climate change will continue to worsen mental health outcomes and impacts.
- Climate change and psychological impacts will become increasingly more concerning, especially amongst those who are most vulnerable, such as Indigenous Peoples and rural communities in the Global South.
It is still unclear what the climatic determinants of mental health exactly are, however, it is imperative that additional research and resources are expanded in order to properly consider climate-mental health impacts.
As an individual who is working in the environmental space, through academic studies and professional capacities, it is paramount that we also consider this critical emerging field. Both crises, climate and health, will eventually reach a boiling point and we need to be prepared to mitigate and adapt.
If you liked this article, you might enjoy my other posts on climate:
