How Is Climate Change Affecting Our Mental Health?
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Provided by: The Climate Question|Published on: September 13, 2022
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Synopsis
- In this podcast episode, three experts join the host in discussing how climate change impacts mental health, the barriers to addressing this issue, and potential solutions for both climate change and mental health.
- Listeners will also hear personal accounts from farmers in India and climate activists in the Philippines and Nigeria who have all experienced mental health challenges associated with climate change or environmental changes.
Subjects: Civics, English Language Arts, Health
Authors: The Climate Question, BBC
Region: Africa, Asia, Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The podcast includes a variety of perspectives from experts, activists, and ordinary people around the world.
- Some students may have their own experience with climate-related mental health issues and this podcast may help them feel seen and validated.
Additional Prerequisites
- This episode discusses suicide, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. These are sensitive topics and teachers should use care and intentionality when incorporating these into the classroom.
- Before listening to this podcast, students should have a solid understanding of climate change and its connection to extreme weather events like heat waves, droughts, floods, and storms.
Differentiation
- This is a great resource for social-emotional learning and can help open a conversation about mental health, anxiety, depression, and stress.
- After listening to the podcast, students can journal about their emotions and experiences with climate change and if comfortable share their thoughts with a peer or the class.
- The lessons Sharing Your Climate Story and Healthy Environment, Health You are great resources to help with any writing activity or assignment.
- Students can draw inspiration from the activists highlighted in the podcast to brainstorm ways to address climate-related mental health concerns in their school or community.
- Students can write letters to their local or national policymakers to push for more mental health support in their community or country.
- Other helpful resources include this podcast on climate anxiety, this video about the emotions associated with climate change, and this youtube video about coping with climate anxiety.
The podcast focuses on the relationship between climate change and mental health as well as the significance of addressing climate change, because doing so will improve mental health. Financing communities and nations in danger of extreme weather events and natural disasters to help them integrate and promote mental health services is another important approach. It is suggested that you use this resource for instruction.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
