How Climate Change Affects Our Mental Health, and What We Can Do About It

The physical health impacts of climate change are everywhere: extreme temperatures lead to heat stroke and death, floods spread waterborne disease, and air pollution from wildfires leads to respiratory and cardiovascular illness. But evidence is emerging that climate change can also affect our mental health, putting further pressure on a behavioral health services sector already in crisis.

How does climate change impact mental health?

Living through an extreme weather event such as a hurricane, wildfire, flood, or drought can be traumatizing. The destruction, loss, and displacement people experience can sometimes lead to an array of mental health problems, from anxiety and feelings of helplessness to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal thoughts.

People at the epicenter of these events suffer the greatest effects. Sixty-seven percent of individuals with direct exposure to the California Camp Fire of 2018 said they experienced trauma similar to PTSD, compared with 14 percent of those indirectly exposed. These effects can last for years, as reported by those who lived through Hurricane Katrina.

Climate change is also having an impact on the mental health of people who haven’t personally experienced climate-related disasters: more than two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) have reported having at least some anxiety about climate change.

As climate change continues to drive more extreme temperatures and worsening air pollution, the impact on mental health will likely continue to grow. Rising ambient temperatures have already been found to increase rates of mental health–related emergency department visits. Violent incidents and suicide attempts also climb as temperatures rise. Similarly, long-term exposure to air pollution has been associated with elevated anxiety levels and even an increase in suicides.

Climate change also can raise stress and anxiety levels for people robbed of their economic livelihoods — as when farmers can no longer grow their crops because shifting weather patterns have led to frequent drought or flooding. Extreme weather events can also destroy businesses, severely hamper economic activity, and lead to both short- and long-term financial challenges.

Are certain people more at risk of experiencing these mental health problems than others?

People with underlying mental health conditions or substance use problems are at higher risk for death from increased heat and humidity. From 25 percent to 30 percent of people who are homeless have a severe mental health condition, and many also have poorly controlled chronic conditions that make them particularly vulnerable to the deleterious effects of climate change.

Black people and other people of color are also at higher risk. Mental health conditions are more prevalent among Black Americans than other groups, plus they are more likely to live in areas marked by elevated temperatures, air pollution, higher flood risks, and poor-quality housing, such as historically redlined areas. Indigenous communities, too, are highly susceptible, with many experiencing both the direct effects of climate change, in the form of extreme heat, drought, or floods, and indirect effects like food insecurity and loss of land. For indigenous people with deep connections to their land, loss or displacement from climate change can profoundly affect psychological well-being.

Globally, distress related to climate change is growing among young people. A 10-nation survey found that 84 percent of people ages 16 to 25 were at least moderately worried about climate change, and nearly half (45%) said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily lives. There is also some evidence that climate change may affect early child development. Exposure to extreme climate events during pregnancy may raise a child’s risk for developing anxiety or other mental health issues.

Finally, climate change is a concern for some older adults. Older people living with existing mental health conditions are at greater risk for social isolation, limited social support, and poor living conditions that make them more susceptible to climate events.

How can we reduce the risks that climate change poses to our mental health?

Reducing the impact climate change is having on our mental health can be done by both improving mental health services and working to tackle climate change:

• Support for those at risk. Central to developing effective support strategies is understanding who is at greatest risk for the mental health consequences of climate change, such as people with preexisting mental health conditions. It’s also important to ensure that mental health services are part of any emergency response to a climate event. Ideally this care not only focuses on people’s immediate emotional reactions but includes longer-term supports for those experiencing lingering effects, such as people with PTSD.
• Investment in treatment models and support. Emerging models of treatment and support for people with climate-related mental health challenges could help alleviate demand on already overburdened health care delivery systems. For example, climate-aware therapists can offer support for those with climate change–induced anxiety, while peer support programs can help individuals and communities build resilience.
• Support for action to address climate change. Engaging in activities to address climate change can help people gain a sense of agency. Taking individual steps, such as recycling, can help overcome feelings of despair and helplessness and build personal resilience. Participating in collective action, like community outreach or advocacy, can foster a sense of connection with like-minded people that further supports health and well-being.
• Provider education. Health care workers need to understand how climate change affects mental health, both to validate their patients’ concerns and to suggest appropriate strategies for managing their feelings.
• Further research and evaluation. More research is needed to understand all the ways in which climate change is affecting mental health, including its impacts on different communities. And to identify effective responses and treatments, researchers will need to consider climate change when investigating all the drivers of mental health.