Professor talks about climate change’s negative impact on mental health

Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist Sarah Rowe’s research explores the long-term mental health implications of traumatic and stressful life events that impact individuals and communities, such as events related to climate change. focuses on the impact of In her recent research published in natural mental healthAssociate Professor Lowe of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences) and Psychiatry and colleagues from other universities conducted a systematic review of the link between slow or chronic climate change and mental health. did.

What is chronic climate change? How is it different from acute climate change?

Indicators of slow-onset chronic climate change include long-term changes in precipitation and temperature, sea level rise, other observable ecosystem changes, and prolonged droughts. Acute climate change events occur severely and suddenly, such as hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and heat waves.

Why is it important to distinguish between chronic and acute climate change when assessing mental health?

Numerous studies have documented the impact of climate change-related disasters such as hurricanes and floods on mental health, showing that such events can lead to increased symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and even depression. It has been shown to be associated with other symptoms such as disease. And anxiety. Although this research has until recently dominated the bulk of empirical research on climate change and mental health, it is widely recognized that disasters are only one of several indicators associated with climate change.

Broadening the focus to other climate change exposures, such as slow-onset chronic changes, will help to understand how climate change is changing, as the nature and severity of symptoms associated with these exposures can vary widely. Gain more insight into how you shape your mental health and well-being. From what appears after a disaster. This research could have implications for the treatment and prevention of mental health conditions as climate change intensifies.

What connections have you found between chronic climate change and mental health, and are people affected by chronic climate change likely to exhibit symptoms of PTSD?

The 57 studies included in our review collectively found that indicators of chronic climate change were associated with depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Additionally, qualitative studies have identified associations with a variety of negative emotions, including sadness, worry, and frustration.

One study looked at PTSD symptoms and found no significant association with chronic drought exposure. However, it is important to note that this is just one study, and in some cases chronic indicators may be associated with PTSD symptoms. Therefore, it is premature to say that a trauma-informed framework, rather than a framework focused on depression, anxiety, and related emotions, cannot be applied to chronic climate change.

Overall, our review showed that further research is needed in this area to refine conceptual models and inform clinical and public health interventions.

Key directions for future research include studies in low- and middle-income countries. Mixed methods and longitudinal design. Development of a new scale to assess negative emotional affect identified in qualitative research. Evaluating strategies to reduce suffering related to climate change.