Climate change worries a new mental health threat for Australians

Worry about climate change poses a new threat to the mental health of Australians, a University of Melbourne academic will warn in a World Health Day speech today.

Dr Grant Blashki, a senior research fellow in University of Melbourne’s Primary Care Research Unit, says general practitioners and other health care professionals will need to develop strategies to help patients deal with the growing worries over climate change.

Dr Blashki says while there has been much discussion about the effects of climate change on physical health, caused by events such as heat waves and the spread of infectious diseases, little thought has so far been given to the impact of climate change on mental health.

“The impact of climate change on mental health is an emerging area of research,’’ he says.

“While it is clear that the wellbeing of many in farming communities will be directly affected by more frequent droughts, the mental health impacts of climate change will not be restricted to rural areas."

“Anecdotally, GPs are already finding that more patients are presenting with worries about climate change and organisations such as the Australian Psychological Society are now providing tips to help psychologists advise patients who are anxious about climate change.”

Dr Blashki says the high prevalence of stress, anxiety and depression in the Australian community mean that many are susceptible to excessive worry about climate change.

“People with depression and anxiety have a low threshold to taking on the negative information about climate change that is presented to them in the media, which feeds into a hopelessness about the future,” he says.

“This excessive pessimism can often immobilise people and prevent them from taking action, to the detriment of their own health and that of the planet.”

“Action can be a great stress reliever, and by encouraging their patients to take action doctors can have a positive impact on their patients’ physical and mental health.”

Dr Blashki says strategies doctors can use include:

• Encouraging patients to walk, cycle or use public transport – thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving their fitness and preventing obesity
• Encouraging patients to consume fresh, healthy, locally-produced food – reducing the amount of energy used in producing their food, cutting down on unnecessary packaging and reducing the amount of processed, fatty food in their diet
• Encouraging patients to think about the steps they can take to live a more sustainable lifestyle – whether it be recycling, switching to green power or reducing their water use
• Providing hope that we can solve the climate crisis if we act now and support our policy makers to make the tough decisions that are required

“By showing their patients that they are able to contribute to preventing climate change, and are able to have some control over their environment doctors can make a powerful contribution to the health of the community and the health of the planet.”

(Source: University of Melbourne: April 2008)