How Global Warming Heating Human Psychologically?

The era of global warming is now shifting into global boiling, according to UN chief Antonio Guterres. July 2023 has been the hottest month on the record. This statement is also supported by fact that more than 60.000 people have died because of the heat waves in Europe last summer as the heat was much hotter than last year. And East Asia has also suffered from the same catastrophe. In South Korea, there were at least 23 people perished in the heat related cases between May and August 2023, while in Japan around 9000 people were hospitalized due to heatstroke.

And only few days ago, there were wildfires engulfing a town on Maui Island in Hawaii, which has become the deadliest wildfires in Hawaii with more than 100 casualties and scores of other people were still missing.

Not only human, many animals and wildlife have also become the direct victims of the heat waves and hotter climate. And in this disaster, we — humans — are being challenged to prove our humanism; to find a real solution to stop this phenomenon which might cause our mass extinction in the near future if it is not properly dealt with.

So…can humans strive to protect their future and other beings while still being social and humanistic persons in the process? The climate change is indeed affecting human beings physically; but will it also psychologically change humans as sentient beings?

A few reports and papers about psychology and global climate change by the American Psychology Association noted that there are actually many psychological impacts from the climate change

Global Climate Change and Mental Health

Lawrance (2021) had stated that high temperature can increase the rates of suicide, mental distress, and hospitalizations for mental health conditions. The high temperature can also lead to changes in the body by affecting blood flow and the central nervous system, which also can negatively affect the cognitive and emotional well-being.

The rising sea level and other changes in the environment can bring many changes in human life style. Many natural disasters that happen can negatively affect the victim and resulted in depression and negative well-being. The traumatic event can lead to PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that needed a long time to heal and affected their daily activities.

Climate change can also have psychological impact to the individual and people that do not experience direct physical impact. Stories and media can indirectly influence people’s life and the broadcasting and sharing news about the effect of the climate change to the different sides of the world can lead to an increase in anxiety. Even though the validity of the information still needed to be rechecked, but many audiences can still be affected by it.

Psychosocial Impact of Climate Change

Increased temperature is also associated with increased psychological distress, negative emotions, mental distress, fatigue and sleep difficulties and many more. These symptoms can get worsen when the impacted community were forced to migrate to other places as the environment near their surrounding is no longer suitable for living because of the wildfires, floods and other disasters or the rising sea level.

Social conflict can occur when the local citizens are not always welcoming the incoming group of migrants (Clayton, 2019). Rare source of fresh water and habitable land are also the triggers of the conflict. And as we know, heat can negatively affect the aggressiveness of the people. They can be more easily influenced and emotionally triggered by small problems and this can increase the domestic violence. In this situation humans are challenged to be more adaptable and try to minimize the impact of the uncertain situation in the environment. It surely will not be easy and can take a long time for the people to be able to adapt and make their lives as normal as possible by changing some of their behavior.

Behavioral Change

Climate change is not only changing the environment, but it also influences us as human beings and our behavior. The habit and life style need to be adapted and changed to mitigate the situation and preventing more disasters. A more healthy and sustainable living should get greater priority among the leaders of the world if we want to strive and survive amid this imminent environment catastrophe. Reducing carbon emission, as simple as changing the food choices, reducing trash, reducing water usage, reducing energy consumption or change it into a more sustainable energy can be the options to have a more sustainable living.

Communication and education of the new life style need to be properly conveyed to the people since their childhood. It will be much easier to form the healthy living practices since the beginning since it will be their usual style of living. But older and adult people can also absorb the needed change through improving their understanding about the urgency and the importance to embrace more environment-friendly choices in our life style — however small it is – which can affect our future…for the better. If every human being can be less egoistical and live for each other we might still have the chance to witness a better world to live in…in the years to come. (LDS)