Need to address mental health effects of climate change urgently: Report

Nov 05, 2021

New Delhi, Nov 05 (ANI): With a large majority of Americans expressing alarm and distress about climate change, a recent study states that is past time to address the burgeoning public health crisis at the individual, community, and societal levels. The findings were published in the journal American Psychological Association and Eco America. Climate is changing at an unprecedented and alarming rate with profound impacts on human life. Climate change-fueled acute disaster events are causing deleterious impacts on human health. Climate change is already taking a huge toll on the mental health of people around the globe. The most immediate effects can include trauma and shock, post-traumatic stress disorder, feelings of abandonment, and anxiety and depression that can lead to suicidal ideation and risky behavior. People displaced by climate change events, such wildfires or droughts, can experience loss of personal identity, among other more severe impacts. Ultimately, mass migrations spurred by long-term climate change can lead to intergroup hostilities, political conflicts, terrorism and even war.