Climate psychiatry is becoming a new field in medicine and is gaining recognition globally as we endure the climate change crisis. Awareness is growing due to newly developed psychological stressors impacting patients’ mental health which we know, adds to the overall long-term care of patients. Mental health professionals are noting that some patients will address climate change and maybe it is even brushed off as “seasonal depression.” This field of medicine shows how extreme weather including heat and cold, natural disasters, and different environmental shifts can affect vulnerable underserved communities and exacerbate mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Climate Psychiatry can implement knowledge of social determinants of mental health so that patients suffering from these environmental conditions can develop interventions to build adaptation, resilience and coping strategies ongoing with the population change.
Some of the populations that commonly get affected include people of low incomes, racial or ethnic minorities, immigrant groups, the elderly, children, and pregnant women who have close relationships with their communities. In impoverished urban communities, individuals may reside in an area with aging infrastructure or rural communities that could be flood-prone or polluted areas due to the impact of climate change. These burdens result in social and economic challenges which could be detrimental to the long-term health of people.
Recognizing this link to mental health is very key because some individuals may not realize that most of their unhealthy outcomes are ultimately connected to climate change. Their communities may not be the same as they once were when they first moved or grew up in. As this new field grows and clinicians educate the population on coping strategies, communities can be empowered to aid in a change for the better. Overall, it is important to raise awareness in this field and decrease the stigma behind mental health.
Resources:
https://www.climatepsychiatry.org/
