mental health and climate change susan clayton the college of wooster climate health summit, 20...
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MENTAL HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Susan Clayton
The College of WoosterClimate Health Summit, 20 September 2015
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Why look at the effects of climate change on mental health?
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1. Understanding impacts is critical to preparing for them (on a community level)
2. Describing the impacts can improve understanding of climate change
3. Health impacts can personalize the issue and transcend the partisan divide
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How could climate change affect mental well-being?
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The multi-level impacts of climate change
1. Direct and indirect effects2. Acute and gradual changes3. Experience and perception
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Source: EcoAmericahttp://ecoamerica.org/research/#PsychImpacts
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Source: EcoAmericahttp://ecoamerica.org/research/#PsychImpacts
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Source: EcoAmericahttp://ecoamerica.org/research/#PsychImpacts
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Direct effects
PTSDDepressionDomestic abuseGeneral anxietySuicide and suicidal ideation“Complicated grief”Substance abuse-- all of which may last several years or longer
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E.g., effects of Hurricane Katrina
49% developed an anxiety or mood disorder1 in 6 developed posttraumatic stress disorder1
1Galea, S. et al. (2007). Exposure to hurricane-related stressors and mental illness after Hurricane Katrina. Archives of General Psychiatry, 64, 1427-1434.
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Indirect effects
Due to • economic difficulties • damage to physical and social
infrastructure• environmental degradationAll possibly requiring migration
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Indirect effects--Natural disasters in 2014 cost $25 billion in the US2 (this includes earthquakes) (Do, Q NYT-8/5/15)
--and $110 billion worldwide3 (Munich Re)
Natural disasters in 2014 displaced 19 million people worldwide. (Norwegian Refugee Council)
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Broad implications
Diminished sense of selfloss of place and disruption of place
bondsloss of occupationloss of lifestyle and culturelowered autonomy
Reduced social cohesionweakened social tiesincreased conflict
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Uncertainty about climate change
Individual responseslack of control, anxiety about unpredictability
Intergroup tensions over meaningdue to perceived inequity
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Effects of anxiety about the future
StressHopelessness
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Who will be affected?
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• At greater risk:
• Women, children, members of marginalized communities
• Those already suffering from mental illness
Not everyone will be affected equally
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HOW are children vulnerable?
Physical vulnerability:Immaturity can enhance the
risk of disease, impact of persistent stress, and effects of malnutrition.
Stress itself, along with malnutrition and lack of clean water, makes the body more vulnerable.
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HOW are children vulnerable?
Social vulnerability:Disruption to education
Psychological vulnerability:Dependence on othersNeed for security
Effects will depend on the child’s developmental stage as well as sources of resilience.
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What can be done? Promoting resilience
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Factors associated with resilience
Practical supportCommunity tiesSense of optimism
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• Plan ahead• Establish the infrastructure to
encourage adaptation• Strengthen social networks• Provide resources to cope with
disasters, including informational resources and mental health support
• Educate• Encourage optimism and sense of
efficacy
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Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder!
Climate change presents an opportunity • to examine the social and
physical infrastructure of our communities
• to consider opportunities of enhancing well-being
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More You Can Do
1. Communicate about the health effects of climate change
2. Get involved in disaster preparedness efforts
3. Health practitioners: do more research, and incorporate into practices
4. Coordinate and support with others involved in addressing climate change
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Thank you!Questions?
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References1Galea, S. et al. (2007). Exposure to hurricane-related stressors and mental illness after Hurricane Katrina. Archives of General Psychiatry, 64, 1427-1434.2Do, Q. (2015, August 5). The cost of natural disasters. New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/08/04/upshot/regional-natural-disasters.html3Munich Re, http://www.munichre.com/en/media-relations/publications/press-releases/2015/2015-01-07-press-release/index.html4Norwegian Refugee Council, http://www.nrc.no/?did=9202152#.VfmG5J3BzGd- Albrecht, G. 'Solastalgia'. A new concept in health and identity. PAN: Philosophy Activism 3 Nature 2005, 41. - Clayton, S., Manning, C., & Hodge, C. (2014). Beyond storms and droughts: The psychological impacts of climate change. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica. http://ecoamerica.org/research/#PsychImpacts- Edwards, G, Matthew, G., & Hunter, B. (2015). The impact of drought on mental health in rural and regional Australia. Social Indicators Research, 12, 177-194.- Stain, H. J., Kelly, B., Carr, V. J., Lewin, T. J., Fitzgerald, M., & Fragar, L. (2011). The psychological impact of chronic environmental adversity: Responding to prolonged drought. Social Science & Medicine, 73(11), 1593-1599. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2011.09.016- Weissbecker, I. (Ed.) Climate Change and Human Well-Being: Global Challenges and Opportunities. New York: Springer, 79-96.