Sustainability and Mental Health
Let’s make one thing clear:
Your mental health is dependent on the state of the planet
A rather bold claim that some might not agree with. However, there has been significant scientific progress suggesting this very idea.
Earthquakes and floods have been linked to changes in the climate for a long time now and there is more evidence to suggest not only do these calamities affect our physical well-being but together with our mental well-being.
Whether it’s earthquakes, flooding, or even the mere thought of these global environmental threats, your mental health reflects the state of the planet.
Earthquakes
During the summer of 1999, turkey was hit by a series of earthquakes that lasted 37 seconds. During that time, anywhere from 3 to 8.5 billion dollars worth of infrastructure was completely obliterated. With a peak magnitude of 7.4, these earthquakes managed to crush and kill over 17,000 citizens.
Stories of women becoming widows or parents losing their children weren’t uncommon after the horrific events that took place and many ended up developing mental illnesses such as panic disorders and depression.
A 2007 article detailing the perpetuating mental illnesses brought on by the 1999 earthquakes illustrates the undeniable anguish these catastrophic events emanate. The estimated rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid depression, around 3.5 years after the earthquake had occurred, stand around 40% for PTSD and 18% for comorbid depression. Some analyzes depict PTSD as related to the fear felt by many during the earthquakes while depression was most correlated with the loss of loved ones during the earthquakes.
Floods
Earthquakes are infamous for killing a few and injuring many more. But what happens when the wrath of the sea comes to display its power? An utter Massacre with only a few left to tell the tale.
Friday night August 7th, 1959, the western coastal plain of central and southern Taiwan suddenly gets hit by a heavy downpour. The enduring surge continued throughout the night and nine hours later, nearly 32 inches of water had arisen to inundate the surrounding streets. As the water continued rising, the accounts of the ensuing misery became more tragic than one could imagine: The helpless farmer seeing his wife and 6 children drown before his very eyes, or the boy that was seen holding himself up on a floating wooden box before suddenly vanishing as if he were never there succumbed to the presence of this flood.
A 2005 study on the global health impacts of floods has determined consequences such as long-term anxiety and depression, increased aggression (predominantly in children), and perhaps even suicide to be associated with floods. Another study illustrates how the destruction of these landscapes via flooding seems to diminish a person’s sense of belonging to that land. People lose the solace that is derived from their connectedness toward their land and the community becomes devastated.
Earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters will only get worse the more unstable the planet becomes. So what can be done to help?
What you can do
Humans have figured out for a long time now that there is strength in numbers. The solution to climate change does not rely on a single person or government but on the collaboration of everyone. You can’t change the world in an instant, but you CAN focus on your habits. Here are a few examples to help you begin:
Smaller Habits
Reduce water waste
Combine personal trips to reduce car mileage
Avoid single-use items
Reduce energy consumption
Talk to others about their habits regarding climate change
Take the bus instead of your car
Larger changes
Switch to renewable energy
Contact your member of congress or the senate and get politically active
Renovate your home to seal drafts and maintain reasonable insulation
Buy energy-efficient appliances
To learn more about what you can do about climate change, here are a few links to get you started:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/what-you-can-do-to-fight-climate-change
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-you-can-stop-global-warming
https://www.imperial.ac.uk/stories/climate-action/
https://davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/top-10-ways-can-stop-climate-change/
And remember…
“As a single drop of water fills a bucket, so do small deeds of evil; as a single drop of water fills a bucket, so do small deeds of good” - Gautama Buddha