Extreme Climate Conditions Can Cause Mental Health Issues, Says IPCC Report

The report, titled 'Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability', warned that a wide range of climate events and conditions will have detrimental effects on mental health.

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New Delhi: The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on climate change released on Monday said that extreme climate conditions can cause mental health issues like anxiety, depression, acute traumatic stress and sleep problems ranging from mild to severe which may even require hospitalisation. 

The report, titled 'Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability', warned that a wide range of climate events and conditions will have detrimental effects on mental health.

"The pathways through which climatic events affect mental health are varied, complex and interconnected with other non-climatic influences that create vulnerability,” the report, approved by nearly 200 countries, said.

According to the report, the climatic exposure may be direct or indirect. Direct climatic exposure includes experiencing an extreme weather event or prolonged high temperatures. Meanwhile, examples of indirect climatic exposure are mental health consequences of undernutrition or displacement.

Not Eliminating Emissions Will Cause Serious Harm

If emissions are not eliminated, serious harm to the world will be caused, especially South Asia, the IPCC report has cautioned. The harmful effects include increased unbearable heat waves, food and water scarcity and sea level rise.

Non-climatic moderating influences which range from an individual's personality and pre-existing conditions, to social support, to structural inequities, have also been mentioned in the report. 

"Depending on these background and contextual factors, similar climatic events may result in a range of potential mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, acute traumatic stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide, substance abuse, and sleep problems, with conditions ranging from being mild in nature to those that require hospitalization," the IPCC report stated.

Association Between Extreme Climatic Conditions & Mental Health

The IPCC report also referred to certain studies on climate change and its effects. The report said a US study found that in Canada, an association was found between mean heat exposure of 28 degree Celsius within four days of exposure and greater hospital admissions for mood and behavioural disorders, including schizophrenia, mood, and neurotic disorders.

The report said that the US study found mental health problems increased by 0.5 per cent when average temperatures exceeded 30 degree Celsius, compared to averages between 25 to 30 degree Celsius. Also, a one degree Celsius warming over five years was associated with a two per cent increase in mental health problems, the report stated.

Referring to another study, the report said that a rise of one degree Celsius in monthly average temperatures over several decades was associated with a 2.1 per cent rise in suicide rates in Mexico and a 0.7 per cent rise in suicide rates in the US. 

The report also said that a systematic review of published research using a variety of methodologies from 19 countries found increased risk of suicide associated with a one degree Celsius rise in ambient temperature.

However, the report said that exposure may also be vicarious. This is because people experiencing decreased mental health could be associated with them observing the impact of climate change on others. Also,their experience may be associated simply  with learning about climate change.

(With PTI Inputs)