The world is not ready for the Mental Health Toll of Extreme Heat

The world is not ready for the Mental Health Toll of Extreme Heat

By maker. Edited by Dean Visser

The coming summer should be a Scurher across the United States and climatologists predict that at least one of the next five years will beat 2024 as the hottest year ever recorded worldwide. While the heat waves become more intense and prolonged, their effect on the mind and the body also becomes more disastrous. Children and the elderly, as well as those who work outside, are most at risk. The same goes for those who suffer from mental health disorders.

Heat waves are the main cause of deaths related to weather conditions in the United States, where approximately 1,300 deaths of heat stroke and other complications related to temperature occur each year. Even those who survive an extreme heat period can undergo serious neurological disorders or other mental health disorders.

A new study published in Current environmental health reports notes that the world is surprisingly not prepared to deal with the consequences on the mental health of climate change. On 83 action plans for heat problems related to heat that have been examined for the study, less than a third recognized the effects on mental health of extreme or prolonged temperatures. And only a fifth of these plans described specific actions to deal with eventualities such as increased hospitalizations for mental health disorders.

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How does extreme heat affect the brain?

The human body operates optimally at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). If a person does not drink enough water when the weather is hot and dry, the body dehydrated, the blood thickens and the heart may not be able to pump enough oxygen with the brain. In addition, the human brain burns 20% of the energy of the body and must therefore effectively dissipate heat. In hot and humid conditions, perspiration cannot cool the body and the brain. This can cause heat exhaustion, which has symptoms such as weakness, dizziness and headache and, in extreme cases, a heat stroke – which can then trigger delirium and loss of consciousness. A significant fraction of the survivors of heat stroke suffers from neurological complications.

Exposure to extreme heat can also increase the risk of suicide and can worsen schizophrenia, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, substance consumption disorder, neurodegenerative disorders (such as Alzheimer’s disease) and negative emotions such as fear and anger. It can aggravate sleep, which, in turn, can increase fatigue and alter cognition. Alcohol and recreational drugs, as well as certain drugs used to treat mental disease, such as antidepressants, tranquilizers and antipsychotics, also seem to increase the vulnerability of mental health health.

Studies find an increased risk of suicide and epilepsy attacks during heat waves, as well as an increase in hospitalizations and emergency visits for mental health disorders. The heat can also disorient thought, which makes people slow to realize that they must seek shelter or help.

Who is most at risk?

The most vulnerable are those who have existing mental health problems. Prolonged heat waves also seem to worsen risk in young children – and even children to be born – to develop mental health ailments in the future. The elderly can also be particularly affected, such as accelerated dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

At a particular risk, there are large populations from around the world who live without air conditioning, including the poor or the homeless and those working outside, as in farms.

What can we do?

The authors of the new Current environmental health reports The study indicates several -level interventions to help the most risk of mantal climate mental communities and individuals. These may include public awareness campaigns, such as the warning of people of the risk of mental health to consume alcohol or other drugs during heat waves. Other interventions include the establishment of community cooling shelters for thermal emergencies and the increase in surveillance of mental health patients during heat waves. Extreme heat is there to stay, at least in the predictable future. We need to prepare people and communities to reduce the risk of emergency in mental health.

If you need help

If you or someone you know, you have trouble or have suicide thoughts, help is available. Call or send an SMS to 988 suicide & Crifeline Crifeline at 988 or use the line online Lauses line cat.