Emotional Meltdown: High Temperatures Exacerbate Mental Health Conditions
Heat waves are hard on our brain’s chemistry and our moods.
This article is part of a Wise & Well Special Report: Extreme Heat and Human Health.
Despite the sweltering conditions, I needed to put forth an image of enthusiasm. I was the chaperone after all. But I was not sure how I was going to make it to the end of this stupid backpacking trip. And then we came to the river. Within minutes of entering the cold water I was living my best life.
Perhaps you can relate to feeling irritable and crabby on a hot summer day. But for those suffering from depression and other mood disorders, the symptoms — and the stakes — are considerably worse.
Heat and mental health symptoms
In the United States, rates of suicide increase in the hottest months of the year. And according to a study published this month, heat waves in particular are associated with rising levels of suicidality and hospitalization for mental health conditions.
