Climate change could have unexpected and widespread consequences for people's mental health, experts say. This is because climate change is a major cause of mental health crises and a threat multiplier. "This means that it exacerbates existing mental health problems," says Dr. Lise Van Susterne, a psychiatrist and member of the advisory board of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Health Mental health Av. Van Sastern spoke about the link between climate change and mental health at a meeting of experts from public health organizations, universities and advocacy groups focused on the health impacts of climate change.
High temperature and level of aggression
For example, researchers have documented a link between extreme climates and higher levels of aggression, Van Sustern said. A 2013 study published in the journal Science found that rising temperatures and extreme rainfall are associated with increased levels of conflict, both between individuals and between groups.
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One possible explanation for the connection between fever and aggression is that higher temperatures increase the body's adrenaline levels, which may contribute to aggression.
Development of neurological disorders
In her presentation, Van Sastern also drew attention to the link between higher levels of air pollution, which can be caused by higher temperatures, and a higher risk of developing neurological and mental disorders. "When a person breathes in particulate matter from polluted air, they can affect the person's olfactory nerve and cause nervous inflammation," she said.
Inflammation of the nerves is associated with disorders found in all age groups, including Alzheimer's and cognitive impairments.
Anxiety and depression
However, it remains to be investigated whether such neural inflammation can cause more traditional psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression.
“The American Psychological Association has already reported that when pregnant women are exposed to air pollution, their children are more likely to have symptoms of anxiety and depression,” Van Sastern said in her speech.
In addition, the study found that the average number of emergency calls due to panic attacks and threats of suicide is higher on days when air quality deteriorates.
But the psychiatrist noted that not all of the health effects of climate change can be easily identified in research. “Not everything that matters can be calculated,” she said. "Most likely, there are 'insidious' effects of climate change that can create psychological stress on a social level that will be difficult to overcome."
Distress in adolescents
A 17-year-old boy from Australia was reported to develop distress due to climate change and had to be hospitalized. The doctors who treated the young man, in their report on the case, called his condition "the climate change delusion." It was published in 2009 in the Journal of Psychiatry Australia and New Zealand. The boy refused to drink the water because he believed it would kill millions of people in arid countries.
In her talk, Van Sasterne stressed the need to take action on climate change. "If it doesn't," she says, "global warming will have profound effects on the mental health of other children."
Anna Pismenna