by Dr Saru Gupta and Dr Miyola Fernandes
In contemporary times, climate change affecting the ecosystem and the economy, has secondarily arisen as a key concern for mental health. Rising temperatures, floods, hurricanes, droughts and biodiversity loss have led to resource constraints related stress in India. Despite its profound impact on public health, climate change’s influence on mental health has been widely overlooked, with scarce research. As the world works to mitigate the physical and economic effects of climate change, addressing its psycho-social impact, especially in vulnerable communities, is crucial to build a resilient and healthier future.
Annually, physical and physiological health is significantly impacted due to an increase in natural disasters and environmental changes. This results in stress, depression, anxiety and evolving to serious mental health repercussions, if unmanaged can escalate issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Every year, floods and cyclones affect millions, leading to loss of lives, dwellings, sustenance, and livelihoods, thus placing a significant mental strain, suicidal ideations and deepening poverty.
Annual floods in Assam and cyclones in Orissa raise the question if these unprecedented natural calamities will ever end?
Water scarcity can cause psychological anguish due to the amount of time and energy spent on fetching or queuing for water. Nearly 163 million or more than one in every ten people in India, do not have access to clean water close to their homes, states the WaterAid report. Additionally, poor sanitation, gender discrimination and lack of drinking water leads to social alienation caused by disrupted education due to higher drop-out rates among females approaching puberty and impact their mental well-being.
Also, climate change is more conducive to an increase in agricultural pests, infectious diseases, water-borne diseases (WBD) and vector-borne diseases (VBD). The change in the ecosystem causes a shift in natural habitat of arthropod vectors and an alteration to nature’s symbiotic relationship, thereby increasing the transmission of vector infestations (malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika virus, etc.) among humans. Furthermore, heat waves have caused a rise in morbidity and mortality due to the prevalence of climate sensitive diseases (air pollution related illness, WBD, VBD etc. ). In 2024 itself, 733 deaths were caused due to heat strokes in India, where 37 cities experienced temperatures of 45℃. Such relentless heat waves induce emotional distress, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairments, particularly in economically disadvantaged and vulnerable areas lacking infrastructure for relief. The mental toll of navigating these environmental conditions can result in long-term impacts on individuals and communities alike.
Most climate tragedies of rising temperatures in India bring about destruction to crops, drought, exacerbating rural suffering, and contributing to a rise in farmer suicides. By 2050, India’s average temperatures are predicted to rise by 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) which is anticipated to result in more extreme weather conditions, frequent droughts, and harsher storms. This along with financial ruin, and easy access to harmful chemicals lead to many Indian farmers to self-harm to avoid crippling debt.
“Anything that will affect occupational stability is going to affect farmers’ mental health,” says Vikram Patel, an Indian psychiatrist and mental health expert with Harvard Medical School
“I estimate that warming temperature trends over the last three decades have already been responsible for over 59,000 suicides throughout India,” writes Carleton, who studies agriculture and resource economics at the University of California, Berkeley.
Therefore, enhancing mental health services should be a key component of India’s climate resilience strategy such as the health action plan (HAP) on climate change and mental health by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) National Program for climate change and human health (NPCCHH) unit. A multi-sectoral cooperation among ministries, departments, and organizations in creating HAPs is relevant to improving climate change and mental health. Establishing local mental health programs, training healthcare staff and community leaders in psychological first aid, incorporating mental health into disaster response plans, and raising awareness through IEC are strategies to assist communities cope with the effects of climate change.
To summarise, there is a need for scalable and sustainable climate action and finance which addresses the need for climate resilient infrastructure and mental health services. Thus, developing a framework for action will help ensure those affected by climate change related mental health problems receive the required care and support.
Dr Saru Gupta is a dentist, public health specialist, and PhD scholar with over three years of experience in implementing public health surveillance projects, as well as climate change and health initiatives, across urban, rural, and tribal regions in Maharashtra.
Dr Miyola Fernandes is a dentist and public health researcher. She is dedicated to leveraging behavioural economics to shape policies that enhance health outcomes for vulnerable and lower socio-economic populations.
