Mental Health, Climate Change, and COVID-19

By Madeline Hendl

          

 It is becoming even more apparent in the time of COVID-19 how important mental health is to our well-being. In times of great stress such as a pandemic, natural disasters, and climate change, it invokes an “anxiety-response as well as chronic and severe mental disorders” (Morganstein 2017). Not only does anxiety increase, but aggressive behavior and domestic violence increases as well in times of stress. For the people not at risk of developing situational anxiety or making a preexisting condition worse, the actions of others due to aggression could put them at risk. The world needs to realize the importance of maintaining mental health not only in a crisis but in the ever-changing climate of our world.

For people already struggling with mental illness, the changing climate of the Earth can have several different negative effects to their well-being. In some psychiatric drugs, hot weather can interfere with how effective the medication is. In some cases, patients are unable to control their body temperature because of the drug and when there is hot weather, it can lead to injury or death.

In terms of pandemics and natural disasters, individuals with chronic or severe mental illnesses rely on services provided by the community to survive. With warming climate, more natural disasters will occur leaving devastation in its path. With devastation comes closures of many of the resources that these people rely upon to function. If individuals with mental illness cannot get access to counseling, medication, care-givers, and other resources, their conditions can worsen and cause the suicide rate to increase.

As well as the mentally ill, groups who are put at risk of developing disorders include first responders, doctors, and other emergency workers. These people see the worst side of climate change in the form of disease and natural disasters. They are surrounded by destruction and death while being expected to work around the clock to provide care to the victims. These people are at a substantially higher risk of developing anxiety-related disorders such as panic disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In terms of mental health care, the COVID-19 virus is bringing forward the importance of talking about problems and how stress during uncertain times has negative mental affects. There will be a time after this virus and the United States government needs to plan ahead for that time. Mental health among not only the United States population but of all countries affected by the virus will have declined drastically. Due to this high demand, the government needs to implement universal mental health care to all people. By doing this, the potental rise in the suicide rate will stop and people will get the care that they desperately need. However, universal mental health care should not end with the virus. Proper treatment of mental health is essential for everyday function and will lead to a better outcome overall.

During this crisis, some organizations and practices, such as Bergen County Therapy, have gone online to offer their services through social media. Bergen County Therapy has started a Facebook group where the sole purpose is to give people the resources to reduce stress and anxiety from home during social distancing and quarantine. What they are doing is helping a lot of people who desperately need a distraction from the anxiety provoking media and want to destress. What they are doing is amazing and they are front runners in the future of mental health care.

Changing climate of the Earth is having a largely negative impact on not only the Earth, but on the mental health of the population. Natural disasters and pandemics bring unwanted stress into our lives and completely turn it upside-down. By changing the way mental health is treated in the changing times is essential to better the quality of life for not only the mentally ill but for the neurotypical population as well.

Work Cited

         “How Extreme Weather Events Affect Mental Health.” Edited by Joshua Morganstein, Psychiatry.org, American Psychiatric Association, Mar. 2017, www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/climate-change-and-mental-health-connections/affects-on-mental-health.