More on climate change and mental health
Your recent editorial (“A toxic and fractured political system can breed angst and PTSD” Current Psychiatry, September 2023, p. 11-12,28-28b, doi:10.12788/cp.0393) warned of a toxic and fractured political system and suggested a potential healing role for our psychiatric profession. However, I believe this critically important message was then summarily undermined in the article “Climate change and mental illness: What psychiatrists can do” (Current Psychiatry, September 2023, p. 32-39, doi:10.12788/cp.0389), which was published in the same issue. The latter article addressed the psychiatric concerns associated with climate change and suggested how psychiatrists can contribute to addressing these issues. While I appreciate the authors’ efforts to shed light on this critical topic, I believe it is essential to offer an alternative perspective that may foster a more balanced discussion.
The article suggested that psychiatrists are unequivocally tasked with managing the psychological aftermath of climate-related disasters. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that this is an assumption and lacks empirical evidence. I concur with the authors’ recognition of the grave environmental concerns posed by pollution, but it is valid to question the extent to which these concerns are fueled by mass hysteria, exacerbated by articles such as this one. Climate change undoubtedly is a multifaceted issue at times exploited for political purposes. As a result, terms such as “climate change denialism” are warped expressions that polarize the public even further, hindering constructive dialogue. Rather than denying the issue at hand, I am advocating for environmentally friendly solutions that do not come at the cost of manipulating public sentiment for political gain.
Additionally, I would argue trauma often does not arise from climate change itself, but instead from the actions of misguided radical environmentalist policy that unwittingly can cause more harm than good. The devastating destruction in Maui is a case in point. The article focuses on climate change as a cause of nihilism in this country; however, there is serious need to explore broader sociological issues that underlie this sense of nihilism and lack of life meaning, especially in the young.
It is essential to engage in a balanced and evidence-based discussion regarding climate change and its potential mental health implications. While some concerns the authors raised are valid, it is equally important to avoid fomenting hysteria and consider alternative perspectives that may help bridge gaps in understanding and unite us in effectively addressing this global challenge.
Robert Barris, MD
Flushing, New York
I want to send my appreciation for publishing in the same issue your editorial “A toxic and fractured political system can breed angst and PTSD” and the article “Climate change and mental illness: What psychiatrists can do.” I believe the issues addressed are important and belong in the mainstream of current psychiatric discussion.
Regarding the differing views of optimists and pessimists, I agree that narrative is bound for destruction. Because of that, several months ago I decided to deliberately cultivate and maintain a sense of optimism while knowing the facts! I believe that stance is the only one that strategically can lead towards progress.
I also want to comment on the “religification” of politics. While I believe secular religions exist, I also believe what we are currently seeing in the United States is not the rise of secular religions, but instead an attempt to insert extreme religious beliefs into politics while using language to create the illusion that the Constitution’s barrier against the merging of church and state is not being breached. I don’t think we are seeing secular religion, but God-based religion masking as secular religion.
Michael A. Kalm, MD
Salt Lake City, Utah