NEED TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE FOR MENTAL HEALTH
A happy new year to all the readers! As we start the new year, I will be making a reflection on the last quarter of 2023, wherein the world leaders met at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (commonly referred to as COP28) and decided on a Declaration on Climate and Health. The reflection from the aforementioned Dubai held meeting, will be how climate change increases the mental health disease burden as well as the role of climate change on mental health.
Climate change is linked with increases in natural disasters like wild-fires and hurricanes, desertification and scarcity of rainfall as well as increases in pandemics and heat waves. There is documented evidence that all these can arguably be declared to be adversely impacting on mental health in one way or another. There is a link of environmental stressors and psychopathology which affirms the need to pay attention to this issue.
Another issue to grapple with is the undesirable emotional responses that are concomitant with those that are well versed with climate change awareness. Several studies have been conducted and concluded that some people can have anxiety evoked by the thought of adverse effects of climate change. There is the proliferation of “climate anxiety” that affects mostly in people from the age of 16 to 25 years. This anxiety occurs mostly in areas close to those affected by climate change.
The case of climate anxiety stems from the fact that the young people are concerned about climate change. Even though “climate anxiety” is not a World Health Organisation ratified disease classification, there are growing trends that highlights the need for it to be given due attention.
The issue of climate change is often for environmentalists, but in view of the foregoing evidence, it may be worthwhile to integrate climate change into healthcare issues. It was at this summit that US $1 billion was raised to transform the health sector to cope with climate changed induced illnesses. Surely, the transformation package will also deal with the mental health consequences of climate change!
Mental health as we have observed is hugely dependent on climate change. As it is a new year, lets strive to create a green environment as it will facilitate serenity and/or tranquillity which consequently nurtures positive mental health.