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