Ever felt like your mood changes with the weather? That’s true, with one caveat–your mood changes with the climate as well. According to several climate change studies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2022 report, climate change has severe impacts on mental health. This may seem a bit puzzling at first: how can a large-scale, seemingly external environmental problem affect your internal mental state?

Climate change increases the number of natural disasters that occur. In turn, natural disasters increase the number of mental health issues [1]. Many studies draw on this correlation to prove that climate change is detrimental to mental well-being. The more natural disasters that occur, the greater the increase in mental health issues. Combined with other effects of climate change and global warming, this has led scientists to predict many potential consequences: increased aggression, exacerbated mental health disorders, disproportionate effects on vulnerable groups, and climate anxiety.
Both “mental health” and “well-being” are umbrella phrases with various definitions. In the IPCC report, mental health is assessed in terms of diagnosable mental health disorders when correlating its incidence to climate change [1]. Well-being refers to feeling positive about life, and it is an ideal state for most people that involves “a predominance of positive emotions…compared with extreme negative emotions” [1].

Correlational Consequences of Climate Change

Climate change increases the incidence of natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods. 20% of hurricane survivors may be affected by PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and other mental health disorders are worsened as well [2]. As hurricane rates go up, more people face the loss of their homes and livelihoods. Fires and air pollution decrease air quality, leading to both respiratory and behavioral issues that can change how you act and even alter the brain’s functioning [1] [2].

Ever snap at someone in the “heat of the moment”? It’s been found that warmer temperatures can heighten aggression [2]. Aggression leads to stress, which is a net negative over the long term. A United States study on the relationship between climate change data and mental health data found that temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (about 86 degrees Fahrenheit) lead to more mental health problems, compared to temperatures between 25 to 30 degrees [5]. This would be equivalent to a shift from comfortable, early summer temperatures to constant mid-July heat. A different study found that if temperatures rise by 1 degree Celsius, it is predicted that a 2% increase in mental health problems will occur [1]. This creates a worrisome outlook as global temperatures continue to climb.

Certain groups are more vulnerable than others, making this an environmental justice issue. Women, children, and the elderly are more strongly impacted by climate change in terms of mental health [1]. Because of their gender roles, women are more likely to feel powerless, which leads to increased impacts [2]. Anxiety and stress have a “high confidence” of increasing in children and the elderly. Also, harmful particles in the air have a higher influence on seniors, especially in terms of cognitive issues [1]. First responders are affected as well because of their proximity to natural disasters [2]. Constantly helping those in need is likely to take a toll on their own mental health, much as with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disadvantaged minorities also experience more inequities from climate change. Reports focus on indigenous communities, which are especially vulnerable because of socioeconomic and geographic conditions [2]. Unfortunately, there is also an increased risk of depression and suicide due to these conditions [1]. They may not have the resources to access mental health help, or those may be limited in their communities.

Indirect Impacts: Climate Anxiety and Solastalgia

Climate anxiety is fear of and uncertainty about the effects of climate change on the future [1]. A word commonly associated with it is solastalgia: grief and anxiety about environmental loss due to climate change [1]. Many younger generations have begun to feel this as they experience the effects of shifting temperatures and face future projections. Solastalgia is also present in older adults as they watch the loss of the natural environments they used to have.
Effects are anecdotal so far, but parents have expressed concern for the environmental harm their children may face. Young adults feel the same way, treating it as a major factor in the decision of whether or not to even have children [1].

Climate Denial

The anxiety created by climate change may be one reason for climate denial. People who ignore or actively deny climate change may feel less stress over the issue [2]. However, because it does not address the underlying issue, it is not the best solution.
An interesting observation is that people who believe in climate change may have reduced mental health [2]. The anxiety creates stress, leading to the inverse situation of the climate deniers’. Sometimes, it’s good to take a mental break from the seeming doom and gloom of the future, but this does not entitle us to ignore the fact that climate change is a concrete issue that must be addressed. Luckily, there are many ways we can cope with the stress while still remediating the overarching environmental issues.

Adapted from the IPCC, this chart sums up the impacts of climate change on mental health. It explains environmental hazards, such as acute events and chronic changes, followed by possible conditions that make people more vulnerable. Next is different levels of exposure, which can affect how much harm people experience; direct exposure to climate change has the most drastic influences. The last column shows possible solutions at different levels of management. Institutionally, there must be a system and policy shift towards more mental health support. Local governments can plan and shape these more specifically. Communities can provide social support, while individuals can raise awareness and focus on their own mental health [1].

Solutions

So what can be done to solve the problem? On a societal level, mental health care must be improved: there needs to be more available infrastructure and services widely available [2]. Social support can also mitigate the effects of climate change [2]. An example may be talking with friends and then deciding to take group action. One way to do so is the World Wildlife Fund, which allows people to adopt an animal in a threatened species. People can also volunteer and donate to the Nature Conservancy and Cool Earth, both of which take climate action.

Individual actions matter too. Biking or walking leads to fewer emissions, and spending time in nature is great for mental health, so reducing car transportation is a two-for-one [1]. Individuals can also take steps to make their diet more environmentally friendly. Meat production releases many greenhouse gases, so eating more plant-based meals is effective [1].

Fortunately, climate change-specific mental health resources are available. A Time article lists several of these for easy access [4]. The See Change Institute has compiled a list of links, sorted into categories including community-based and educational resources, for anyone in need to access [6]. For example, Eco-Anxious Stories allows people to contribute anecdotes of environmental issues they have experienced [7]. There are those who share stories about their anxieties around natural disasters and have found a supportive community there.

Resources: Climate Psychology Alliance [8], Home | Climate Mental Health Network [9], An Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators [10], Home – Eco-Anxious Stories (ecoanxious.ca) [7]

To sum up, the bad news: climate change has detrimental effects on mental health, and climate action must be taken. The good news: action is being taken, and you can be a part of that movement toward hope.

References:

1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2022). Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability, Sixth Assessment Report, 3056 pp. doi: 10.1017/9781009325844.
2. Clayton, S. (2021). Climate Change and Mental Health. Current Environmental Health
   Reports, 8(1). Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40572-020-00303-3.
3. Cianconi P., Betrò S., & Janiri L. (2020). The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health: A Systematic Descriptive Review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11(74). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7068211/.
4. Wilkinson, K., & Wray, B. (2021, November 3). 7 Resources to Help You Cope With Climate Anxiety. Time. Retrieved from https://time.com/6112146/climate-anxiety-resources/.
5. Obradovich N., Migliorini R., Paulus M., & Rahwan I. (2018). Empirical Evidence of Mental Health Risks Posed by Climate Change. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115 (43). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.180152811.
6. Climate Change & Youth Mental Health. See Change Institute. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://seechangeinstitute.com/sci_project/climatechangeandyouthmentalhealt
7. Eco-Anxious Stories. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://ecoanxious.ca/.
8. Climate Psychology Alliance. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www.climatepsychologyalliance.org/.
9. Climate Mental Health Network. Retrieved December 27, 2022 from https://www.climatementalhealth.net/.
10. Resources for the Climate Crisis. An Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators. Retrieved December 27, 2022 from https://www.existentialtoolkit.com/.