Here’s How Climate Change is Affecting Your Mental Health
Yes – climate change can pose serious risks to our health and safety, and our environment. But did you know it can also seriously affect your mental health? In a recent report, the American Psychological Association described how climate change is poised to take a grievous toll on our mental health.
The new study stressed that people living in a number of regions could become more susceptible to post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, suicide and other mental health issues, as a result of climate change.
Acute traumatic stress is the most common mental health problem that survivors of natural disasters experience, according to the report. For instance, in 2014, climate change played a role in 14 extreme weather events in the world, including the Hawaii’s active hurricane season. The report says that these events may subsequently experience immediate or long-term psychological trauma due to personal injury, death of a loved one, or loss of personal property or livelihood, among other issues. But it’s far from the only one.
But traumatic stress disorder isn’t the only one. According to the report, suicide and suicidal ideation ― also known as suicidal thoughts ― more than doubled among this group in the aftermath of the storm. And nearly half the people developed an anxiety or mood disorder such as depression.
Hot weather is also linked to increased rates of aggression and suicidal ideation (commonly known as suicidal thoughts). Higher temperatures have also been linked to increased instances of suicide, because the “distress” of feeling hot can sometimes overwhelm people with pre-existing mental health conditions.
By 2050, about 200 million people will be displaced due to climate change. This can result from a number of factors such as rising sea levels and certain areas becoming unable to support crops. According to the study authors, losing one’s home can lead to a condition called solastalgia, characterised by intense feelings of desolation and loss.
Source of this article:
Climate Change Could Have A Serious Impact On Mental Health: Report
@Copyright 2016 by www.NaturalTherapyForAll.com All Rights Reserved
Featured Practitioner: http://www.naturaltherapyforall.com/new/detail.php?id=22295
Other Practitioners: Reiki Northampton