Ankara: As the world grapples with raging wildfires, soaring temperatures, and deadly floods, experts are raising alarms over a less visible crisis: the profound impact of climate change on mental health. All continents are facing devastating floods, wildfires, extreme heat waves, and other climate disasters, and the psychological toll for the billions impacted is intensifying.
According to Anadolu Agency, Dorina Cadar, a leading researcher in neuroepidemiology and dementia, has emphasized the profound effect of climate change on mental health through both direct and indirect pathways. Individuals directly exposed to extreme weather events such as floods, wildfires, hurricanes, or heat waves often experience acute stress and trauma, manifesting as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Climate expert Neil Jennings has highlighted the historic neglect of the connection between climate change and mental health. Jennings, associated with the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College London, noted that mental health historically has received less attention than physical health, despite the significant impact of climate change on health-related outcomes.
Record-breaking temperatures have scorched large parts of the Mediterranean, Europe, Asia, the US, and the Middle East in recent weeks, with forecasters warning of prolonged heat waves. Cadar, director of the Cognitive Epidemiology, Dementia, and Ageing Research lab at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, pointed out that heat waves are often overlooked in mental health research, yet these have been linked to changes in mood, increased aggression, disturbed sleep, and a rise in hospital admissions for existing mental health conditions.
Jennings warned of the elevated suicide risk associated with extreme heat, stating that for every 1C increase in temperature, there is roughly a 1% increase in the risk of suicide. Past research has found that every 1C increase in monthly average temperature led to a 2.2% spike in mental health-related deaths, while increases in relative humidity also pushed up suicide rates.
Certain occupational groups face additional mental health risks, as emphasized by Jennings. Farmers, outdoor laborers, and construction workers, for instance, often experience significant psychological stress due to crop losses from extreme heat, floods, and wildfires. Floods and hurricanes often trigger PTSD symptoms long after the events have passed.
Wildfires are associated with increased anxiety, depression, and substance use, especially among evacuees and first responders. The unpredictability and rapid spread of wildfires can leave communities feeling powerless and traumatized. While droughts might seem less dramatic, they also lead to chronic stress, hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts, particularly among farming communities whose livelihoods depend on climate-sensitive environments.
Although climate-related mental illnesses can affect anyone, research shows that certain groups are especially vulnerable. Older adults, particularly those with dementia or cardiovascular disease, are at high risk, as they may struggle to regulate body temperature or access assistance during heat waves. People with pre-existing mental illnesses are also vulnerable, as they may have difficulty recognizing or responding to early signs of heat-related distress.
Low-income individuals who lack access to cooling systems, live in poorly insulated housing, or work outdoors face additional risks. Children and adolescents, who are more sensitive to environmental changes and disruptions, can also suffer from emotional distress. Urban populations are particularly vulnerable due to the 'urban heat island' effect, where dense infrastructure and limited green spaces lead to higher temperatures in cities.
Experts emphasize that climate change disproportionately affects lower socioeconomic groups, exacerbating mental health inequalities. The long-term stress of living with environmental degradation, the threat of losing homes, rising temperatures, or worsening air quality can slowly wear away at people's psychological well-being. There is growing evidence of 'climate anxiety,' characterized by chronic fear or distress over the future of the planet, especially common among younger people.
Climate change indirectly impacts mental health by disrupting social and economic structures, including housing, health care, farming, and agriculture. When people lose their livelihoods or feel disconnected from their communities or natural environment, their mental health can suffer. People in disadvantaged or marginalized groups are often hit hardest, as they have fewer resources to adapt and recover.