Extreme climate events may lead to anxiety, depression: Report

New Delhi, March 1

Extreme climate conditions can cause mental health issues like anxiety, depression, acute traumatic stress and sleep problems ranging from mild to severe, which may even require hospitalisation, stated the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on climate change.

The report titled ‘Climate Change 2022: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability’, released on Monday, warned that a wide range of climatic events and conditions would have detrimental impact on mental health.

“The pathways through which climatic events affect mental health are varied and complex and are interconnected with other non-climatic influences that create vulnerability. The climatic exposure may be direct, such as experiencing an extreme weather event or prolonged high temperatures, or indirect, such as mental health consequences of undernutrition or displacement,” said the report.

The IPCC report has cautioned that not eliminating emissions would cause serious harm to the world, especially South Asia, with increased unbearable heat wave, food and water scarcity and sea level rise. “Depending on these background and contextual factors, similar climatic events may result in a range of potential mental health outcomes,” the report said. — PTI

Link between weather, behaviour

Referring to a study, the report said in Canada, an association was found between mean heat exposure of 28 degree Celsius within four days of exposure and greater hospital admissions for mood and behavioural disorders, including schizophrenia, mood, and neurotic disorders