Today, the serious effects that climate change and pollution have on people’s physical health are well known. Increase in cardiorespiratory diseases or cancer are some of the best known. But The population knows little about the impact that these changes have on the mental health.
To determine them, researchers from the Clínic Barcelona-IDIBAPS have reanalyzed all the analyzes available on the effects of climate change and pollution on mental health and the results are worrying:
- Have been found important associations between the increase in the planet’s temperature and the increase in mortality from suicide or mental disorders.
- And not only this, Exposure to certain pollutants has also been linked to an increase in cases of dementia or cognitive impairment.
The higher the temperature, the greater the number of suicides
Suicide is the main cause of external death in our country, which gives a good idea of the dimension of this public health problem, which in view of the conclusions of this research, can go beyond the relationship between the increase in temperature and increases in suicides.
- Specifically, It has been estimated that global warming may have increased suicide cases by 5% and this increase is expected to reach 7% by 2050.
In addition, there has been an increase in suicidal behavior and hospital admissions due to this problem. And as he comments Dr. Joaquim Raduàdirector of the Imaging Mood and Anxiety-Related Disorders (IMARD) group and first author of this article:
- “These data on the impact of climate change on mental health are added to the data that we already knew about the impact on physical health, forcing us in capital letters to urgently promote global initiatives to fight climate change,”
The effects of pollution on mental health
But it is not only the increasingly high temperatures that are affecting mental health, Also increased pollution plays an important role in the development of mental problems.
This is highlighted by researcher Joaquim Raduà and his team, who, after reviewing numerous studies on the matter, have concluded that:
Specifically, exposure to high levels of products like toluene (used in paints, enamels, varnishes and adhesives, among others) increases the likelihood of developing one of these disorders.
“The use of these solvents poses serious health risks, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where alternatives to these inexpensive materials are difficult to find for construction or manufacturing,” he comments. Michele De Prisco, IDIBAPS researcher and co-first author of the study.
“Because they are products that are used worldwide, Emissions of these pollutants are expected to double by 2030, which is alarming considering that we now know that they not only pose an environmental risk, but also seriously affect mental health.”, he adds.
The meta-analysis It especially affects a population group such as pregnant women..
Regarding them, The study indicates that exposure during the second trimester of pregnancy to polluting particles (which may contain a variety of substances such as benzopyrenes, furans or heavy metals) from fossil fuels and industrial activities, may increase the incidence of postpartum depression.
Regarding those patients who already suffer from a mental illness, it is concluded that exposure to high levels of sulfur dioxide (from the combustion of oil and other solid fuels in industry) may increase the risk of relapse in patients with schizophrenia.
“Thanks to this study, now We have robust evidence of the negative impact that climate change and pollution are having on mental health around the world.. These results can be used to inform authorities and increase public awareness about the impact of air pollution and the risks of climate change on mental health and thus seek and apply measures to prevent it,” says Joaquim Raduà.