Extreme Heat’s Overlooked Impact on Mental Health

Quick Summary

• The world is increasingly experiencing prolonged and intense heat waves, with at least one of the next five years predicted to be hotter than 2024 globally.
• heat waves are responsible for the highest number of weather-related fatalities in the U.S.,causing approximately 1,300 deaths annually from heat stroke and related complications.
• Mental health risks associated with extreme heat include increased prevalence of suicide, worsened schizophrenia, epilepsy, anxiety disorders, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Heat can impair cognition and worsen sleep disorders.
• Vulnerable populations include children (including unborn), older adults (especially those with dementia), those with existing mental health issues, individuals living without air conditioning or working outdoors, and socially underprivileged groups.
• A recent study revealed that out of 83 action plans worldwide addressing heat-related health risks:

– Less than one-third acknowledged mental health effects.
– Only around 20% proposed specific measures for managing increased hospitalizations for mental illnesses during extreme heats.

• Suggested interventions include community cooling shelters during emergencies; public awareness campaigns focusing on reducing substance use during heat waves; better monitoring systems for vulnerable groups; and preparedness strategies emphasizing mental health.

!Image: Silhouette of man walking with umbrella against blue sky
Caption: A man walks with an umbrella to protect himself from the heat amid increasing temperatures in London. (Credit: Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Indian Opinion Analysis

extreme heat events pose substantial threats to India’s large population due to its already high susceptibility derived from socio-economic vulnerabilities such as poverty-stricken communities lacking air conditioning or adequate housing infrastructure. With agriculture remaining a major occupational sector-employing millions who frequently enough work outdoors-the country is uniquely challenged by the dual physical strain created by rising temperatures combined with escalating impacts on mental well-being.

Moreover, India faces additional concerns as urban centers like Delhi record drastic increases in seasonal temperature extremes exacerbated by urbanization effects (e.g., reduced green cover leading to localized warming). While India has made strides in climate mitigation strategies like early warning systems for floods and cyclones-and established cooling shelters during peak periods-the neglect highlighted globally regarding integrating responses targeting mental-health consequences merits reflection domestically concerning potential gaps within national planning frameworks concerning this interdisciplinary impact category requiring solutions adapted uniquely socio-cultural dimensions.

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