Abstract
The relationship between sense of place, environment, and wellbeing, as well as the implications of climate change on human health have long been recognised. However, distress and loss of comfort caused by degradation of the environment, home and sense of belonging do not seem to have received equal attention, despite the severity of the consequences for mental health. We present a narrative review which aims to reflect on the pathways through which climate change can affect individuals’ mental health. Psychosocial reactions that have received more attention are those that occur in situations of environmental disaster, namely acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, psychosocial reactions to climate change are not always of this magnitude, making them invisible to governments and communities. And when these reactions do become visible, usually through the adoption of high-risk coping behaviour, the association with climate change is not always recognised. In this chapter, we also discuss the role of the media in these reactions, as indirect exposure to climate change messages can also have significant effects on mental health, altering individuals’ risk perception and consequence predictions, and affecting their beliefs and confidence to move into more climate protective behaviours.
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Silva, I., García, G., Cardoso, P., Byrne, A. (2023). Climate Change Impact on Mental Health: Is Nature Fighting Us Back?. In: Leal Filho, W., Vidal, D.G., Dinis, M.A.P. (eds) Climate Change and Health Hazards. Climate Change Management. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26592-1_4
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