A Public Health Approach to Building Mental Wellness and Resilience in the Face of the Climate Crisis

The intensity of storms, flooding, drought, and other extreme weather events continues to rise because of climate change, leading to an increase in adverse mental health outcomes such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Impacted communities and individuals can experience trauma from being displaced from their homes or living in damaged homes; suffering from personal injury, illness or loss; and having their community network, natural surroundings and infrastructure disrupted. Young people and indigenous communities can especially feel a loss of connection to the natural world and anxiety about their future. These direct climate impacts can be compounded by concurrent public health issues, such as rising gun violence, housing and food insecurity, racial discrimination and infectious disease outbreaks.  

Due to the scale of the climate crisis, combined with the current shortage of mental health professionals in the U.S. and additional barriers to receiving mental health care such as social stigma, a public health approach is needed to address the impacts of climate change on mental health. A public health approach requires establishing a broad and diverse network of individuals, groups and organizations that help communities strengthen their capacity for mental wellness and resilience.

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