Psychology, Psychiatry & Mental Health

Climate Change and Its Effects on Mental Well-Being
Joseph O. Prewitt Diaz, PhD

Climate Change and Its Effects on Mental Well-Being

In Production
Pub Date: Forthcoming December 2025
Hardback Price: $180 US | £140 UK
Hard ISBN: 9781779641168
Pages: Est. 400pp w/index
Binding Type: Hardback / ebook

While the conversation surrounding climate change often focuses on environmental degradation, economic implications, and policy reforms, an equally critical aspect is emerging: the effects of climate change on mental health and psychosocial well-being. The increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters, such as droughts, hurricanes, and wildfires, not only disrupt communities and ecosystems but also take a significant toll on the mental health of individuals, leaving scars that are both visible and invisible. Those affected by these calamities often experience feelings of loss, anxiety, and helplessness as they grapple with the immediate aftermath of destruction and the long-term impacts on their lives. Research has documented heightened levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety among survivors of such events. The emotional tumult triggered by the loss of homes, livelihoods, and loved ones poses a daunting psychological challenge that cannot be overlooked.

This new volume, Climate Change and Its Effects on Mental Well-Being, brings together insights from various disciplines, including psychology, environmental science, sociology, public health, and climate policy, to provide a holistic view of the climate-mental health nexus. By analyzing case studies from dozens of countries and climate disasters and reviewing existing literature, the author identifies best practices and innovative solutions for addressing mental health challenges in the context of climate change. The book highlights the intricate links between climate change and mental health while also promoting the development of effective psychosocial support systems that are essential for fostering recovery in the aftermath of climate-related disasters and building resilience in communities as they confront an uncertain future.

The volume sheds light on the multidimensional impacts of climate change on mental health, recognizing that these effects can be both direct and indirect. It looks at displacement and trauma caused by climate disasters, the stress associated with economic instability in affected regions, and the psychological burden of climate-related grief. It also considers the disparities that exist in how different communities experience these impacts, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive and accessible psychosocial support tailored to the unique experiences of diverse populations.

This volume should be essential for practicing and soon-to-be mental health professionals as well as for those working at disaster relief organizations, as the number and cost (both monetary and mental) of climate-related disasters will continue to increase in the coming decades.

CONTENTS:
Preface

Introduction

PART I: INTRODUCTION TO THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT

1. Introduction to the Impact of Climate Change on Mental and Health and Psychosocial Support

2. Understanding Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

3. Direct Impact of Climate Change on Mental and Psychosocial Health

4. Indirect Effects of Climate Change, Anxiety, and Depression

5. Vulnerable Populations and Mental and Psychosocial Health Risks

6. The Role of Community and Psychosocial Connections

7. Migration, Displacement, and Mental and Psychosocial Health

8. Economic Stress and Its Mental and Psychosocial Implications

9. Psychosocial Interventions for Building Resilience

10. Policy Frameworks and Recommendations

11. Future Directions for Research and Practice

12. A Call to Action

PART II: MENTAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

13. MHPSS Access for Indigenous Nations in South America

14. The Impact of Climate Change on Mental and Psychosocial Health in Central America

15. Impact of Climate Change on the MHPSS of First Nation Peoples in Mexico

16. Impact of Hurricane Maria on the Mental and Psychosocial Health of the Puerto Rican Population

PART III: MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT IN SOUTH ASIA

17. The Relationship Between Climate Change, Major Disasters, and the Importance of MHPSS in the Indian Context

18. Impact of Climate Change in Mental and Psychosocial Health in Nepal

19. Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Bangladesh

PART IV: CLIMATE CHANGE AND MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT IN EAST ASIA

20. The Impact of Climate Change on Mental and Psychosocial Support in Japan

21. The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Thailand

22. The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Indonesia

PART V: IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT IN AFRICA

23. The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Mozambique and Zimbabwe


Index


About the Authors / Editors:
Joseph O. Prewitt Diaz, PhD
Former Professor, Pennsylvania State University, USA

Joseph O. Prewitt Diaz, PhD, is a practitioner-scholar who began his career as a public health worker in the depressed villages of his native Puerto Rico, where he developed the Puerto Rican Peace Corps: VESPRA. He was a professor at Pennsylvania State University, where he conducted research, taught, and trained community practitioners. Dr. Prewitt Diaz served as a mental health volunteer in some of the major disasters in the United States: Hurricane Andrew, the Oklahoma City Bombing, and the 9/11 United Recovery in Shanksville, PA, among others. He was assigned to the first international disaster where American Red Cross implemented a community psychosocial support program in the Americas, South Asia, and Africa. Since 1998, Dr. Prewitt Diaz has been serving in international and domestic services with the American Red Cross, serving as Program Coordinator for Central America in charge of Health, Water and Sanitation, and Community Engagement, as a Mental Health Delegate during the 2002 El Salvador earthquake, as the Mental Health Delegate during the 2002 India Riots at Gujarat, India, etc. He has worked at the Bhutanese Refugee Camps in Nepal; with the Ebola outbreak response in Western Africa; with the Zika response in Paraguay, Brazil, and Guatemala; with the Southeast Asia Tsunami for the immediate response to the response and recovery in Maldives, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and India. Dr. Prewitt Diaz founded the Disaster Law Center at the Law School of the University of Puerto Rico. During his career, he has received multiple awards and recognitions, including the W.K. Kellogg Fellowship, the Woodrow Wilson Hispanic Fellowship, the Certificate of Merit for Lifesaving from the American Red Cross, the Meritorious Award from the Latin American Psychiatric Association for the Development of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Programs in Central America, and the American Psychological Association International Humanitarian Award. Dr. Prewitt Diaz other books with AAP are Disaster Recovery: Community-Based Psychosocial Support in the Aftermath and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support during the COVID-19 Response: An Overview.




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