Climate Change and Mental Health - FAQ

Climate change is negatively affecting our mental health and emotional well-being. In the aftermath of extreme weather events, mental health problems can outnumber physical injury cases by 40 to one.¹ Climate change is linked to a range of mental health problems, from stress and distress to severe mental illnesses.²

Climate change hazards can be sudden and severe, such as floods, hurricanes, wildfires and heat waves, or chronic and long-term, such as overall temperature increases, droughts and rising sea levels. Both first-hand experience of these hazards and their indirect effects (e.g., being forced to leave one’s home) can result in mental health problems. Learning about climate change hazards through media and other sources can also cause mental health problems. Both direct and indirect climate change–related mental health problems largely affects the most marginalized people in our societies.³

Floods, hurricanes, wildfires, heat waves and other sudden and severe climate change hazards can lead to trauma and shock, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use. Such hazards can also result in suicidal thoughts, risky behaviours, violence, aggression and physical ailments. ⁴ The following studies show the mental health problems people experienced in the wake of sudden and severe climate change hazards:

• Twenty per cent of flood victims were diagnosed with depression, 28.3 per cent with anxiety and 36 per cent with PTSD.⁵
• One in six people developed PTSD after a hurricane in the area, while one in two developed an anxiety or mood disorder.⁶
• Thirty-three per cent of people exposed to California wildfires showed symptoms of major depression and 24 per cent showed symptoms of PTSD.⁷
• Heat waves worsen underlying mental illnesses and increase the risk of death. People with schizophrenia, substance use disorder or dementia are two to three times more likely to die during a heatwave than those without mental illness.⁸

Sudden and severe climate change hazards can also lead to a person having to leave their home and community, weakened social ties, aggression and violence, and civil conflict.⁹ These consequences can indirectly impact mental health. For example, a person who is forced to leave their home may feel a loss of identity, independence, control and culture, which can lead to mental distress, sadness, anger, anxiety and depression.¹⁰

Mental health problems resulting from sudden and severe climate change hazards can begin weeks, months or years after the event and last for several years.¹¹

Rising temperatures, droughts and other chronic and long-term climate change hazards can directly and indirectly impact mental health. For example, rising temperatures are related to increased cases of mental illness and rates of suicide, as well as more aggressive and unlawful behaviours.¹² People with pre-existing mental illnesses are particularly vulnerable to heat stress.¹³ Long-lasting droughts can lead to increased distress, anxiety and depression and are linked to more suicides in rural areas.¹⁴

Chronic and long-term climate change hazards can indirectly impact mental health in two ways:

• worsening physical health problems, such as respiratory illnesses, infectious diseases and malnutrition, leading to mental health problems.¹⁵
• community well-being is disrupted through economic losses, property damage, loss of income and employment opportunities, population relocation, social conflict and violence, which all have a significant negative impact on people’s mental health.¹⁶. Community disruption can also affect the mental health of future generations.¹⁷

For some people, particularly young people, awareness of the threats of climate change can lead to worry, anxiety, anger, fear and emotional distress ¹⁸. In some cases, it may lead to increased substance use and suicidal thoughts.¹⁹

Recent research in the U.S. found that:

• sixty-six per cent of people are at least “somewhat worried” and 26 per cent are “very worried” about climate change
• the number of people who are “very worried” about climate change nearly doubled from 2017 to 2021
• seventy-two per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds report feeling distressed (e.g., experiencing anxiety, racing thoughts, sleep problems) in response to negative news stories about the environment.²⁰

Further, feelings of helplessness can worsen mental health problems linked to climate change.²¹ Some climate change experts have noted that worries and anxiety related to climate change awareness are not necessarily mental health problems, but rather a reasonable response to the situation.²²

Mental health problems related to climate change and climate change awareness can be categorized into several subtypes. The main terms include:

Solastalgia: Distress that comes from experiencing climate change in one’s home environment, including being forced to leave due to climate change hazards.²³

Eco-anxiety: Uneasiness, stress and severe worry about climate change.²⁴

Eco-grief: Grief linked to environmental loss and expected future losses related to climate change.²⁵

Eco-paralysis: Complex emotions connected with climate change awareness and feeling unable to prevent future hazards.²⁶

There are some groups of people who are more likely to experience climate change–related mental health problems. These groups include:

• People with pre-existing mental illness. Heat waves can worsen the mental and physical health of people with mental illness, particularly those with schizophrenia, substance use disorder and dementia. It also increases their risk of hospitalization and death compared to those without mental illness. Heat events can make it difficult for people taking psychotropic medications (i.e., medications that are used to treat various mental health disorders) to control their body temperature, which can affect both their physical and mental health. A decline in memory and thinking, sleeplessness and aggression caused by heat stress can also worsen existing mental illnesses.²⁷
  
  
• Young people. Parents, teachers and the media report that young people are experiencing high levels of grief, anxiety and distress due to climate change awareness.²⁸ Young people across the globe say they are extremely worried about the effect climate change will have on their future and feel betrayed by government inaction.²⁹ A recent survey of 1,000 young Canadians (aged 16 to 25) found that:
  - 56 per cent reported feeling afraid, sad, anxious and powerless about climate change
  - 78 per cent said that climate change affects their overall mental health
  - 73 per cent reported that the future is frightening because of climate change.³⁰
  
  
• Indigenous peoples. Many Indigenous people are historically and culturally connected to their lands, and climate change threatens to sever that connection. Detachment from the land, cultural practices and traditional foods due to sudden, severe and long-term climate change hazards are linked to depression, anxiety and suicide among Indigenous peoples. Even thinking about relocation due to climate change has been associated with significant stress in some Inuit communities.³¹
  
  
• Marginalized groups. People who are marginalized due to racism, poverty and social/political injustices are more likely to experience climate change–related mental health problems.³² For these individuals, climate change hazards both add to and worsen systemic and structural discrimination. Climate change and discrimination can cause a range of mental health problems, including stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD and behavioural problems.³³ Marginalized individuals are also less likely to have access to resources and supports to help address climate change–related mental health problems, which leads to more social and health inequities.³⁴
  
  

Climate change and related mental health problems will have a larger impact on marginalized groups, fragile health systems and poorer countries.³⁵ As a result, social and health inequities will worsen across the globe; for example, people who are most affected by the physical and mental health toll of climate change, particularly those in poorer countries, are the people least responsible for it.³⁶

Climate change may also lead to an increase in the global economic cost of mental health problems. Mental illness already costs $2.5 trillion globally. As the number of people with mental illness increases due to climate change, the related costs will also increase. For example, mental health supports and resources provided after the Australian bushfires in 2020 cost $76 million.³⁷

Climate change and related mental health problems may also affect health care systems and services. Mental health care systems are already overburdened, and failing to plan for an increase in the number of people who need services will leave many people without access to care. This will have the greatest impact in rural areas and poorer countries with fewer mental health resources and where populations are most at risk of climate change–related mental health problems.³⁸ Sudden and severe climate change hazards (e.g., extreme weather) can also damage health care infrastructure and interrupt supply chains, affecting the ability to provide services.³⁹

Mental health systems significantly add to climate change. In the United Kingdom, for example, the mental health system is estimated to release 1.47 million tons of carbon dioxide per year.⁴⁰ These carbon emissions are mainly due to pharmaceutical waste, overprescribing of medications, staff and patient travel and mental health organizations’ use of energy, waste disposal and food options.⁴¹

There are several ways that mental health systems and organizations can reduce their impact on climate change. Some of these strategies include:

• using efficient care methods (e.g., patient-centred care can make treatments more focused; medications delivered via injection create less waste) ⁴²
• finding low-carbon ways to deliver care (e.g., provide options for virtual care; invest in smart energy systems within organizations) ⁴³
• developing, applying and evaluating models of care that are better for the environment (e.g., organization-wide green plans; quality improvement strategies to reduce carbon footprint) ⁴⁴
• raising awareness about the mental health impacts of climate change and advocating for mental health systems to reduce their climate impact ⁴⁵
• partnering across organizations and sectors and with people with lived experience of climate change to develop services that address climate change and mental health ⁴⁶
• working with researchers to strengthen evidence on climate change–related mental health problems. ⁴⁷
  
  

Mental health organizations and systems can also focus on prevention efforts that improve individual and community resilience in the face of climate change, such as addressing the social the determinants of health (e.g. housing, social isolation and employment); preparing mental health systems for the impact of climate change hazards (e.g., making sure the system can handle an increase in people with mental illness and respond to damaged infrastructure and supply chains); and making sure all health care responders receive mental health literacy training so they can support people affected by climate change hazards. ⁴⁸

Reducing the impact climate change has on mental health requires action at the individual, community and system/policy levels. Efforts should focus on slowing the rate of climate change and its related mental health problems and supporting strategies to adjust to and cope with the risks of climate change. ⁴⁹  Building individual and community resilience is key – providing people with supports to help manage their climate-related stress and anxiety can help lessen the overall impact of climate change on mental health. Individual and collective action to address climate change can also help to support good mental health. For example, taking part in meaningful activities can help people manage climate-related stress and anxiety. ⁵⁰

Below are a few examples of individual, community and system/policy-level actions that can help people lessen and adjust to climate change–related mental health problems.

Individual

• Learn to adapt to changing environments and build emotional resiliency by acknowledging the threats of climate change; learning coping strategies; accessing mental health supports if needed; encouraging optimism, hope and mental wellness; making behavioural and lifestyle changes (e.g., preserving nature, reducing one’s own climate impact); and strengthening relationships and connections. ⁵¹
• Develop a personal/family climate-emergency plan and kit. ⁵²
• Support, organize and vote for climate change solutions. ⁵³
• Engage with young people by empowering them, acknowledging and validating their concerns and creating safe spaces for them to discuss climate change and their emotions. ⁵⁴
  
  

Community

• Develop climate change resiliency plans that include strategies to address quality of life. ⁵⁵
• Build resilience and improve strategies to adjust to and cope with the risks of climate change by creating a sense of community (e.g., building parks and mutual aid networks), addressing health and social inequities, updating physical infrastructure and enhancing access to nature. ⁵⁶
• Develop disaster response/emergency preparedness plans and communications strategies. Include strategies that address mental health and well-being. ⁵⁷
• Train all health care professionals and first responders to provide mental health first aid in response to climate disasters. ⁵⁸
• Include community members when developing climate change resiliency and emergency preparedness plans. ⁵⁹
• Make sure climate response plans are culturally relevant (e.g., work with Indigenous communities to ensure Indigenous knowledge and wisdom are included in climate resiliency and adaptation strategies). ⁶⁰
• Increase training on climate change for mental health professionals, teachers and other professionals who work with young people. ⁶¹
  
  

System and policy