Eco-Anxiety: How Climate Change Affects Mental Health

Climate change surely have changed the world that we live in in many different ways. Storms, fires, and droughts now have worsened over the course of time. Climate change not only affects the physical world, however, as it also affects the mental health of people who witness it.

It was recently declared by the Australian Medical Association (AMA) that climate change is a health emergency. Other medical bodies around the world also reflect similar positions as the AMA.

The AMA’s statement highlights the significant impacts climate change is having on physical health, including an increase in climate-related deaths. The World Health Organisation regards climate change as “the greatest threat to global health in the 21st Century”.
Climate change can affect people’s mental health in a number of ways, both directly and indirectly.
We know experiencing extreme weather events is a risk factor for mental illness. And many thousands of people around the world are displaced from their homes as a result of climate events, putting them at perhaps even higher risk of mental illness.
More generally, people feeling distressed about the state of the planet may find themselves in a spiral of what’s been termed “eco-anxiety”.

More details of this over at The Conversation.

What are your thoughts on this one?

(Image Credit: Pixabay)


Login to comment.




Email This Post to a Friend
"Eco-Anxiety: How Climate Change Affects Mental Health"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More