psychological impact of climate change psychological impact of climate change the psychological impacts of climate change on the earth's inhabitants include emotional states such as eco-anxiety, ecological grief and eco-anger. while unpleasant, such emotions are often not harmful, and can be rational responses to the degradation of the natural world, motivating adaptive action. other effects of climate change on mental health, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd), can be more dangerous. in the 21st century, academics, medical professionals and various other actors are seeking to understand these impacts, to assist in their relief, make more accurate predictions, and to assist efforts to mitigate and adapt to global warming. while the psychological impact of climate change is largely negative, related social engagement can have positive effects on mental wellbeing.part of a series onclimate change andsociety effects mitigation adaptation economics business action climate finance economic impacts economics of mitigation emissions trading low-carbon economy social issues agriculture cities climate justice children ethics gender indigenous people fisheries human rights security poverty migration women health and psychology climate grief eco-anxiety infectious diseases mental health psychology of denial waterborne diseases communication carbon literacy climate crisis education media coverage popular culture fiction art games public opinion adaptation resilience vulnerability disaster risk reduction ecosystem-based adaptation flood control politics history political economy climate governance climate movement denial global warming controversy litigation individual actions unfccc un conferences kyoto protocol paris agreement portal glossary index there are three broad channels by which climate change affects people's mental state: directly, indirectly or via awareness. the direct channel includes stress related conditions being caused by exposure to extreme weather events. the indirect pathway can be via disruption to economic and social activities, such as when an area of farmland is less able to produce food. and the third channel can be of mere awareness of the climate change threat, even by individuals who are not otherwise affected by it. there are many exceptions, but generally it is people in developing countries who are more exposed to the direct impact and economic disruption caused by climate changes. whereas recently identified climate related psychological conditions like eco-anxiety, which can result just from awareness of the threat, tend to affect people across the planet. the psychological effects of climate change are investigated within the field of climate psychology. various non-clinical treatments, group work options, internet based support forums, and self-help books are available for people suffering from less severe psychological conditions. some of the psychological impacts require no form of treatment at all, and can even be positive: for example, worry about climate change can be positively related to information-seeking and to a sense of being able to influence such problems. the psychological effects of climate also receive attention from governments and others involved in creating public policy, by various campaigning groups and ngos, and by private sector firms. pathways further information: effects of climate change on mental health § pathways the usns comfort on its way to deliver relief after hurricane katrina. rapid assistance and restoration of security for those affected by extreme weather reduces the risk of long term psychological impact. there are three causal pathways by which climate change causes psychological effects: directly, indirectly or via awareness (or "psychosocial"). in some cases, people may be affected via more than one pathway at once. there are three broad channels by which climate change affects people's mental state: directly, indirectly or via awareness. the direct channel includes stress-related conditions being caused by exposure to extreme weather events, such as cyclones and wildfires, causing conditions such as pts and anxiety disorder. however, psychological impacts can also occur through less intense forms of climate change such as through temperatures rising leading to increased anger and aggression. the indirect pathway occurs via disruption to economic and social activities, such as when an area of farmland becomes infertile due to desertification or a decrease in tourism due to damage to the landscape. this can lead to increased stress, depression and other psychological conditions such as anxiety. and the third channel can be of mere awareness of the climate change threat, even by individuals who are not otherwise affected by it. this can be, for instance, feeling intimidated by the threats to food and water security, posed by climate change which can lead to war. there are many exceptions, but generally, it is people in developing countries who are more exposed to economic disruption caused by climate change. whereas recently identified climate-related psychological conditions like eco-anxiety, which can result just from awareness of the threat, tend to affect people across the planet. direct impact exposure to extreme weather events, such as wildfires, hurricanes and floods, can cause various emotional disorders. most commonly this is short term stress, from which people can often soon make a rapid recovery. but sometimes chronic conditions set in, especially among those who have been exposed to multiple events, such as post traumatic stress, somatoform disorder or long term anxiety. a swift response by authorities to restore a sense of order and security can substantially reduce the risk of any long term psychological impact for most people. though individuals who already suffered from mental ill health, especially psychosis, can need intensive care, which can be challenging to deliver if local mental health services were disrupted by the extreme weather. the less extreme direct manifestations of climate change can also have direct psychological effects. the single most well studied linkage between weather and human behavior is that between temperature and aggression, which has been investigated in lab settings, by historical study, and extensive field work. various reviews conclude that high temperatures cause people to become bad tempered, leading to increased physical violence, especially in areas where there are mixed ethnic groups. there have been exceptions, such as in modern cities where air conditioning is widely available. also, there has been academic dispute regarding the degree to which the excess violence is caused by climate change, as opposed to natural temperature variability. the psychological effects of unusually low temperatures, which climate change can cause in some parts of the world, is much less well studied. though available evidence suggests that unlike unusual heat, it does not lead to increased aggression. indirect pathway in several parts of the world, climate change significantly impacts people's financial income, for example by reducing agricultural output, or by making an area unattractive for tourism. this can cause significant stress, which in turn can lead to depression, suicidal ideation, and other negative psychological conditions. consequences can be especially severe if financial stress is coupled with significant disruption to social life, such as relocation to camps. for example, in the aftermath of hurricane katrina, the suicide rate for the general population rose by about 300%, but for those who were displaced and had to move into trailer parks, it rose by over 1400%. effective government interventions, similar to those used to relief the stress from a financial crisis, can alleviate the negative conditions caused by such disruption, however this is sometimes not easy, especially in some of the less prosperous countries in the global south. indirect effects on mental health can occur via impacts on physical health. physical health and mental health have a reciprocal relationship, so any climate change related effect that affects physical health can potentially indirectly affect mental health too. environmental disruption, such as the loss of bio-diversity, or even the loss of inanimate environmental features like sea-ice, cultural landscapes, or historic heritage can also cause negative psychological responses, such as ecological grief or solastalgia. awareness simply knowing about the risks posed by climate change, even from those not otherwise affected by it, can cause long lasting psychological conditions, such as anxiety and other forms of distress. this can especially affect children, and has been compared to nuclear anxiety which occurred during the cold war. conditions such as eco-anxiety are very rarely severe enough to require clinical treatment. while unpleasant and thus classified as negative, such conditions have been described as valid rational responses to the reality of climate change. mental health this section is an excerpt from effects of climate change on mental health. smoke in sydney (australia) from large bushfires (in 2019), affected some people's mental health in a direct way. the likelihood of wildfires is increased by climate change.part of a series onclimate change andsociety effects mitigation adaptation economics business action climate finance economic impacts economics of mitigation emissions trading low-carbon economy social issues agriculture cities climate justice children ethics gender indigenous people fisheries human rights security poverty migration women health and psychology climate grief eco-anxiety infectious diseases mental health psychology of denial waterborne diseases communication carbon literacy climate crisis education media coverage popular culture fiction art games public opinion adaptation resilience vulnerability disaster risk reduction ecosystem-based adaptation flood control politics history political economy climate governance climate movement denial global warming controversy litigation individual actions unfccc un conferences kyoto protocol paris agreement portal glossary index the effects of climate change on mental health and well-being can be negative, especially for vulnerable populations and those with pre-existing serious mental illness. there are three broad pathways by which these effects can take place: directly, indirectly or via awareness. the direct pathway includes stress related conditions being caused by exposure to extreme weather events, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd). scientific studies have linked mental health outcomes to several climate-related exposures—heat, humidity, rainfall, drought, wildfires and floods. the indirect pathway can be via disruption to economic and social activities, such as when an area of farmland is less able to produce food. the third pathway can be of mere awareness of the climate change threat, even by individuals who are not otherwise affected by it. mental health outcomes have been measured in several studies through indicators such as psychiatric hospital admissions, mortality, self-harm and suicide rates. vulnerable populations and life stages include people with pre-existing mental illness, indigenous peoples, children and adolescents. the emotional responses to the threat of climate change can include eco-anxiety, ecological grief and eco-anger. such emotions can be rational responses to the degradation of the natural world and lead to adaptive action. assessing the exact mental health effects of climate change is difficult; increases in heat extremes pose risks to mental health which can manifest themselves in increased mental health-related hospital admissions and suicidality.: 9 climate change specific conditions as climate change becomes increasingly threatening to both the biosphere and human livelihoods, the feelings aroused in response are a focus for exploration. strong, difficult emotions such as grief, mourning, guilt, feelings of loss and anxiety are common responses to the threats posed by climate change. these various emotions have been collectively referred to in the literature as climate distress. climate change is associated with increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and the impacts of discrete events such as natural disasters on mental health has been demonstrated through decades of research showing increased levels of ptsd, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even domestic violence following the experience of storms. many of these emotions have been studied independently in relation to climate change. feelings of loss have been identified as being multi-faceted, and can originate in anticipation of loss soon to occur, as well as actual destruction. the corresponding ‘anticipatory mourning’ has been explored. the feelings of grief and distress in response to ecological destruction have elsewhere been termed ’solastalgia’ and the response to pollution of the local environment has been termed ‘environmental melancholia’. however feelings in response to climate change and its broader ramifications can be undeveloped or not fully recognized. this can result in unconscious feelings of despair and unease, particularly in young people and those attending therapy. this makes it difficult to give name to what one is feeling, so it is generally termed as eco-anxiety- particularly when this negative effect takes on more intense forms such as sleeping disorders and ruminative thinking. rather than see eco-anxiety as a pathology requiring treatment bednarek has suggested that it be construed as an adaptive, healthy response. it is often difficult to conceptualize emotions in response to the unseen or intangible aspects of climate change. theoretical approaches have suggested this is due to climate change being part of a greater construct than human cognition can fully comprehend, known as a ‘hyperobject’. one of the techniques used