Mental health, a neglected aftershock of climate disasters

Climate disasters, which are becoming more frequent and damaging, cause trauma, grief, and disruption and have profound and sustained mental health impacts. To limit the impact of climate disasters, it is important to acknowledge and address the mental health issues that arise. This opinion article will highlight the significant and accelerating impact of climate disasters on mental health and describe how the issue has been neglected in current policy and relief support. It will subsequently offer recommendations for how policymakers can improve mental health outcomes during climate disasters.

The scale of the problem
Mental health issues arising from climate disasters cause significant health, financial and social costs. Although the mental health impact is not well quantified, the Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness estimates that after disasters, the number of people with psychological trauma exceeds the number of people with physical injury by as much as 40 to 1 [1]. Specifically, data has shown that there is a clear relationship between experiencing the effects of climate disasters and worsening mental health. This includes low mood and depression, extreme distress, post-traumatic stress disorder [2] and suicidality [3]. In conjunction, those with existing mental illnesses also experience exacerbations in their conditions, especially those with affective and psychotic conditions [4].

The reasons for this are multifaceted. As well as the visible and devastating effects on communities and people, the displacement from home and support structures, heightened economic and social vulnerability, and the fear of exposure to future events are somewhat unique aspects of climate disasters [5]. Further, damage to infrastructure and decreased access to mental health services diminishes the availability of mental health support.