MENTAL ILLNESS RISE LINKED TO CLIMATE

Image via Wikipedia

According to information released in the Sydney Morning Herald, a report being released today will state that the rates of mental illnesses including post-traumatic stress and depression have increased because of the results of climate change.

The report was organized for the Climate Institute, and goes on to say that loss of social cohesion in the wake of weather events that are severe are correlated to climate change and could possibly be linked to increasing rates of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress as well as substance abuse.

This report, A Climate of Suffering: The Real Cost of Living with Inaction on Climate Change, reports that as many as 1 in every 5 individuals are suffering from this mental stress.  The report goes on to state that the past 15 years are a “preview of life under unrestrained global warming”.

Professor Hickie, who is releasing this report today, said climate change and especially severe weather events are likely to be a major factor influencing mental health in the future.

“While cyclones, drought, bushfires and floods are all a normal part of Australian life, there is no doubt our climate is changing “ the report states.

“For instance, the intensity and frequency of bushfires is greater.  This is a ‘new normal”, for which the past provides little guidance….

“Moreover, recent conditions are entirely consistent with the best scientific predictions: as the world warms so the weather becomes wilder, with big consequences for people’s health and well-being”.

This report specifically looks at the mental health in the aftershock of major weather events possibly linked to climate change.

The paper goes on to suggest a link being possible between Australia’s recent decade-long drought and climate change.  It points to a breakdown of social cohesion caused by loss of work as well as associated stability adding that the suicide rate in rural communities rose by 8%.

The report goes on to show that 1 in 10 primary school children reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of cyclone Larry in 2006.  There are still more than 1 in 10 reporting symptoms more than 3 months after the cyclone.

Professor Ian Hickie, the Executive Director of the Brain and Mind Research Institute, stated that “there’s really clear evidence around severe weather events”.

“We’re now more sophisticated in understanding the mental health effects and these effects are one of the major factors.  What we have seriously underestimated is the effects on social cohesion.  That is very hard to rebuild and they are critical to the mental health of an individual”.

 “When we talk about the next 50 years and what are going to be the big drivers at the community level of mental  health costs, one we need to factor in are severe weather events, catastrophic weather events, “ he said.

It is needless to say that the year of 2011 will have further evidence to use for further research – especially in the United States and the area of the Pacific referred to as the “Ring of Fire”.

Related articles

• Climate will make us depressed and anxious (news.theage.com.au)
• Extreme weather rages, but not concerns over climate change (gigaom.com)
• Climate change impacting agriculture in India: Swaminathan (chimalaya.org)
• Hurricane Irene is a reminder that adapting to climate change is smart policy, regardless of the climate change part (blogs.scientificamerican.com)
• Climate Institute causing mental illness (junksciencesidebar.com)