IN the midst of a pandemic, a polluted planet, and an increasing incidence of diseases such as cancer, asthma and heart diseases, on World Health Day 2022, the WHO will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being?

The theme for World Health Day 2022 is Our Planet, Our Health. This call from PAHO, the WHO, and partners, presents a unique opportunity for a green and healthy recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that puts the health of individuals and the planet at the centre of actions and fosters a movement to create societies focused on well-being.

The WHO estimates that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. This includes the climate crisis, which is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. The climate crisis is also a health crisis driven by our political, social and commercial decisions. Over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. A heating world is seeing mosquitos spread diseases farther and faster than ever before. Extreme weather events, land degradation and water scarcity, are displacing people and affecting their health. Pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans, the highest mountains and have made their way into our food chain. Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease, while generating a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

A growing body of research demonstrates not only that the extreme weather events associated with a changing climate can impair mental health, in particular leading to increases in depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, but also that more gradual changes in climatic conditions, such as rising temperatures and reduced air quality, are also harmful to mental health. In addition, there is increasing evidence that a significant proportion of people might be experiencing a harmful level of anxiety associated with their perception of climate change. The mental health impacts of climate change have the potential to affect a significant proportion of the population.
Let us talk a little bit more about mental health.

Mental issues are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behaviour (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities. Mental health is common.

What’s the difference?
People with mental health conditions are more likely to be affected by extreme weather events for several reasons. Psychiatric medications can interfere with a person’s ability to regulate heat and their awareness that their body temperature is rising, which is associated with injury and death.

Dozens of mental illnesses have been identified and defined. They include depression, generalised anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and many more.

Mental illness is an equal-opportunity issue. It affects young and old, male and female, and individuals of every race, ethnic background, education level, and income level. The good news is that it can often be treated.
Signs and symptoms of mental illness depend in part on the illness. Common symptoms include:
* Feeling sad or down;
* Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate;
* Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt;
* Extreme mood changes of highs and lows;
* Withdrawing from family, friends, or activities;
* Significant tiredness, low energy or problem sleeping.
In some people, symptoms of a mental illness first appear as physical problems such as stomach aches, back pain, or insomnia.

Mental health and climate change
Climate change and related disasters cause anxiety-related responses as well as chronic and severe mental health disorders. Flooding and prolonged droughts have been associated with elevated levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. The trauma and losses from a disaster, such as losing a home or job and being disconnected from the neighbourhood and community, can contribute to depression and anxiety.

Extreme weather events have also been associated with increases in aggressive behaviour and domestic violence. Exposure to extreme heat may lead to increased use of alcohol to cope with stress, increases in hospital and emergency room admissions for people with mental health or psychiatric conditions, and an increase in suicide. The need for mental health services increases in the aftermath of a climate-related disaster. At the same time, there is often a disruption in services or a decrease in the availability or accessibility of services.

Some people are more vulnerable to the potential impacts of climate change, including children, the elderly, the chronically ill, people with cognitive or mobility impairments, pregnant and postpartum women, and people with mental illness. People of lower socioeconomic status, migrants, refugees and the homeless may also be more vulnerable.

Children are more impacted by disasters than adults and are more likely to have continued trauma-related symptoms after a disaster. Disruptions in routine, separation from caregivers as a result of evacuations or displacement, and parental stress after a disaster all contribute to children’s distress. Children are often very resilient and reactions to disasters may resolve over time, but they should be monitored for long-term effects of chronic stress-related to extreme weather events.

First responders, emergency workers and others involved with responding to extreme weather-related disasters are at increased risk for mental health consequences, both in the short and long term. These individuals may be both a responder and victim, required to provide care for the public, while managing the adverse impacts of a disaster for their own family. Responders and emergency workers are often exposed to injury or death in the line of work, which can increase negative impacts.

Individuals with a mental illness can often ease their symptoms and feel better by talking with a therapist or by reaching out to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.

Happy World Health Day!
“Our Planet, Our Health”
April 07, 2022

Remember if you are suffering from mental illnesses, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help. See you next week!
References
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/climate-change-and-mental-health-connections/affects-on-mental-health
You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.