World Suicide Prevention Day: Climate changes can impact mental health and lead to death due to suicides

The global warming, increase in temperature and erratic climate changes have a tangible impact on our mental health and experts believe that this can be a reason for the increase in suicide cases worldwide.

By: Editorial Team | | Published: September 10, 2018 12:32 pm

The victim left behind a one-page suicide note but didn’t not mentioned any reason behind the extreme step. © Shutterstock

September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. Also Read - World Suicide Prevention Day: Effective tips to get rid of suicidal thoughts

There are a lot of factors that can impact our mental health and climate change is one of them. The global warming, increase in temperature and erratic climate changes have a tangible impact on our mental health and experts believe that this can be a reason for the increase in suicide cases worldwide. In fact, the year 2018 has recorded to have the hottest temperature in the recent months which is supposed to have a detrimental effect on our physical and mental health. A new research done by an international team of scientists suggest that this could be one of the risk factors of suicide in the recent times. Environmental factors play a role in determining one’s mental well being and hot temperatures can be damaging. Also Read - World Suicide Prevention Day: What can you do to avoid hurting yourself?

The researches have used historical temperature records from the United States and Mexico and showed that suicide rates increased by 0.7 per cent in the U.S. and by 2.1 per cent in Mexico when the average monthly temperatures rose by 1 C. Going by these numbers they calculated that between now and 2050 there could be 9,000 to 40,000 additional suicides in the U.S. and Mexico alone. If there is a steady rise in temperature the numbers in India could also increase. Also Read - World Suicide Prevention Day: 4 mental health conditions that increase the risk of self-harm

Hot climates and suicides

There are several studies that state spike in heat waves is linked with more number of hospitalisation due to self-harm, suicide and violent suicides. Other studies also confirm that there is a co-relation between hot temperatures and an increased number of suicide cases. While the reason what could trigger people to take extreme steps in inflicting self-harm and commit suicide is still unclear but experts believe that hotter temperatures are taxing on the body. It can cause an increase in the stress hormone cortisol, reduce sleep quality and disrupt people’s physical activity routines. These changes can reduce well-being and increase psychological distress. So, for someone who is already fighting an internal battle or suffering from a mental condition, hotter temperatures can act like a trigger.

What can be done?

There are a lot of changes that happen with an increase in temperatures droughts, storms, floods and wildfires. It will extend the range of infectious diseases such as Zika virus, malaria and Lyme disease along with food and water shortages. All of these can have an impact on one’s psyche. Experts say there are no quick fixes to face such situations. Vigorous greenhouse gas reduction strategies will reduce the chance of such detrimental effects of climate changes and alleviate the effects on mental health, but these efforts may not be sufficient. On a grass root level, more integration is needed. There should be more awareness among the common people to take mental health seriously. Address issues that can be underlying triggers and help people overcome the barriers.

Published : September 10, 2018 12:32 pm

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