The psychological consequences of distress due to experiencing an environmental disaster.

Syracuse University

Environmental health issues can directly affect human health physically (ex. water pollution leads to outbreaks of waterborne diseases), but it can also lead to psychological illness, including anxiety & post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Environmental impact on physical & mental health

Generally speaking, anxiety is a reaction by the body that ensues negative internal experiences such as negative thoughts or feelings. Physical changes may also follow, such as an increase in blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, trembling, and so on.

Anxiety

Inauen, J., Contzen, N., Frick, V., Kadel, P., Keller, J., Kollmann, J., Mata, J., & van Valkengoed, A. M. (2021). Environmental issues are health issues: Making a case and setting an agenda for environmental health psychology. European Psychologist, 26(3), 219–229. https://doi-org.libezproxy2.syr.edu/10.1027/1016-9040/a000438

Environmental Issues Are Health
Issues: Making a Case and Setting an Agenda for Environmental
Health Psychology

“Eco-anxiety”

Extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, directly impact human health via forced evacuation/migration, reduced access to basic needs, and life-threatening circumstances. They may also exert indirect effects by increasing health risk behaviors.

Extreme Weather and Health Risk

Cerebral Palsy is known to make the stresses of life more overwhelming. Individuals tend to become shy in social situations out of fear of being bullied or teased by others. They are more prone to depression and anxiety disorders.

Psychological Impacts of Cerebral Palsy

The amygdala is a section of the brain that processes fearful stimuli. Patients with anxiety disorders exhibit stronger amygdala responses than patients without anxiety disorders. Studies suggest that mindfulness interventions can reduce the amygdala response in patients with anxiety disorders.

Mindfulness Effects on the Amygdala and Anxiety


- Persistent worry or feeling overwhelmed by emotions.

- Excessive worry about a number of concerns, such as health problems or finances, and a general sense that something bad is going to happen.

- Restlessness and irritability.

- Difficulty concentrating, sleep problems and generally feeling on edge.

Signs of Anxiety

Some researchers believe that mindfulness is a natural state, so they searched for predictors of mindfulness.  Predictors they looked at included openness to experience and attentional control.  During their study they looked at trait anxiety, attachment anxiety and attentional control. Due to anxiety blocking many of the predictors they tested for, it was concluded that anxiety (both specific and general) is agonistic to mindfulness.  So, because anxiety turns anxious people away from mindfulness, it makes sense to help treat anxiety with mindfulness-based interventions.

Natural Mindfulness and Anxiety

- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Specific phobias

Anxiety Disorders Treated by Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

- The HADS scale was used to determine levels of anxiety and depression
- It was found that there is a statistically significant relationship between the HADS score and cortisol levels
  - As levels of depression and anxiety increased, cortisol levels also increased
- COVID-19 Patients who had passed away had higher serum cortisol levels compared to the COVID-19 patients that survived
- Stress increases one’s susceptibility to respiratory tract infections, making patients more vulnerable to getting a cold
  - The immune cells become unable to regulate inflammation
- As tissues become less sensitive to cortisol due to high levels of stress, it becomes more difficult to regulate stress levels

Anxiety and Cortisol Levels in COVID-19 Patients

- Depression
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Hoarding Disorder
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
- Anxiety/ Panic Disorders
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Body dysmorphic disorder
- Schizophrenia 
- Borderline Personality Disorder

Mental Disorders Affected By The Covid-19 Pandemic

Emotions can play a large factor in the formation of political identity, as well as influence their belief in political misinformation. Anxiety and anger can result in differences in how an individual approaches political misinformation. Having anxiety can influence a person to further seek out political information learning, whereas being angry can influence a person to be more close-minded with the political information they are presented with.

Anxiety and Anger on Partisan Bias in Accepting Misinformation

Anxiety disorders are characterized by features of excessive fear and anxiety, as well as related behavioral disturbances. These symptoms are often not temporary and linger beyond typical expectations. Excessiveness of these symptoms is clinician diagnosed with cultural contexts taken into consideration.

Anxiety Disorders

Exploring how concussion-induced anxiety can be helped by exercise

Concussions, Anxiety, and Exercise

Anxiety may result in or worsen mental/physical conditions.
 

- Depression or other mental disorders
- Substance misuse
- Insomnia
- Bowel issues
- Headaches/ Chronic Pain
- Social Isolation
- Problems with daily functioning, including at school or work
- Poor quality of life 
- Suicidal
- Nausea/Vomitting

Complications of Anxiety

- Oftentimes, anxiety disorders go hand in hand with eating disorders

Comorbidity with Anxiety

The data on measures and therapeutic alliances was not significant. Still, observable trends showed that the combination of CBT and animal-assisted therapy may be beneficial for easing anxiety symptoms in school-aged children.  

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