Climate change may harm mental health
29 August 2011
Regional Australia is bearing the brunt of a changing climate, which is exacting a human cost in poorer mental health, a report says.
Rates of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress and substance abuse were known to increase among those affected by extreme weather events, according to the Climate Institute report released today.
Up to one in 5 people would suffer extreme stress, emotional injury and despair after a severe weather event such as a drought or cyclone, the report said, while a study of rural NSW found self-harm and suicide rose by up to 8 per cent in the recent drought.
"Climate change is emerging as a major threat to mental health, with the trauma of extreme weather events manifesting directly, indirectly and through the broader impacts on communities, the economy and the environment," said Dr Susie Burke, senior psychologist with the Australian Psychological Society, in a statement accompanying the report.
The report points to data showing 2010 as Australia’s hottest on record, while the economic cost of extreme weather events in the past year alone was $9 billion.
The document, A climate of suffering: the real cost of living with inaction on climate change, calls for initiatives to manage changes already in the pipeline, and urgent reductions in carbon pollution to "avoid the unmanageable human tragedy of climate change unchecked".
| National Helplines | |
|---|---|
| If you or someone you know is depressed and/or having suicidal thoughts, see your doctor, or phone one of these helplines. | |
| Lifeline (24 hours) | 13 11 14 |
| Kids Helpline (under 18 years of age) | 1800 55 1800 |
| Just Ask - rural mental health information | 1300 13 11 14 |
| Mensline Australia (24 hours) | 1300 78 99 78 |
| SANE Helpline - mental illness information, support and referral | 1800 18 SANE (7263) |
Last Reviewed: 29 August 2011
- 1. Climate Institute. A climate of suffering: the real cost of living with inaction on climate change. Sydney, Melbourne: Climate Institute; 2011. http://www.climateinstitute.org.au/our-publications/reports/874-aclimateofsuffering (accessed Aug 2011).
