Eco-Anxiety: Effects of Climate Change May Induce Anxiety and Trigger Stress

(Photo : Getty Images/ROBYN BECK)

A recent study indicated that experiencing the impacts of climate change could lead to eco-anxiety.

Mental Health Worsened Due To Climate Change

Experts said that climate change has worsened people's mental health and emotional well-being. Further, acute heat waves, droughts, floods and fires fuelled by climate change could result in trauma, mental illness and distress among individuals.

It was pointed out that climate change and mental health are two of the most significant and pressing challenges facing societies across the world.

Unfortunately, growing awareness of these global issues has not been met with sufficient action to mitigate their impacts.

Mental illness - or the disabling effects of distress - already affects around a billion people globally, while the effects of climate change are increasingly apparent.

Both of these issues are projected to increase and stand to affect many more people without sufficient action.

Climate change has been recognized by governments, academics, advocacy groups and medical professions as a health emergency, though, to date, the focus has been largely on physical health.

Based on studies, mental illness, which has been considered as the most neglected of all human health conditions, and emotional wellbeing have been overlooked in their interplay with climate change.

All the major threats to physical health from climate change also have detrimental effects on mental health.

Scientists explained that this is not surprising as mental health and physical health are tightly linked, with high rates of comorbidities, and at the population level, good physical health and good mental health are strongly correlated.

It was found out that high temperatures worsen a range of health outcomes.

They have been shown to increase rates of suicide, mental distress, and hospitalisations for mental health conditions, and to have negative consequences for physical and mental health including increased mortality of people who meet the criteria for mental illness.

Moreover, experiencing the direct impacts of extreme weather events, including intense storms and floods, has often been associated with extreme psychological stress for some individuals, with longer term distress in some cases.

On the other hand, the social and economic disruption caused by climate change, including for example migration, has a negative impact on mental health.

For example, the forced displacement or evacuation after climate-related disasters has been linked to depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

Ignored Dilemma

The impacts of climate change on mental health have been largely ignored especially when accounting for the costs and benefits of climate action and planning climate mitigation and adaptation responses.

Experts noted that the good news is that climate action is likely to yield even greater benefits than previously considered, when accounting for the opportunities to prevent poor mental health outcomes and to improve mental health through win-win scenarios such as reduced air pollution and the wellbeing benefits to the individuals.

They said further targeted research is needed to understand the interrelationships between climate change and mental health, but action must start now, with cross-sectoral collaborations to support individual and community resilience.