Pinky's Take on Climate Change and Depression

Posted by Pinky Bean on January 6, 2008 3:10 PM

Filed Under: Health

When I first read Clive Thompson's article "How the Next Victom of Climate Change Will Be Our Minds," I was immediately reminded of Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as the winter blues.

There is a mild comparison to be made in that both involve the ability of the climate to affect the mental state of an individual. However, there are several ways to combat the effects of SAD, which is attributed to a lack of sunlight during long winter months. Taking breaks outdoors during daytime hours, utilizing a light theraphy lamp, taking a vacation to a sunny destination, or in extreme cases, seeking professional help, are all recommended as treatments for SAD. However, the key word of this disorder is "seasonal." The symptoms aren't that difficult to treat because they are most often temporary. Once the days start to get longer, most people perk up considerably.

But how do you treat a mental state that is based on the potentially long-term conditions of your environment? Thompson addresses this is his final sentence where he says:

"In a world that's quickly heating up and drying up, you can't go home again — even if you never leave."

Now that this potential consequence of climate change has been identified, it's time to start thinking of ways to cope. There is no easy solution, but if the problem of depression due to environmental conditions begins to spread, it will likely become something that medical professionals pay more attention to and offer advice regarding. As I am not one of these medical professionals, I certainly do not feel qualified to start spouting advice, other than that if you do feel severely depressed, seeking professional attention is the best idea.

Leafy Green made a valid point in his post yesterday - as humans we are wired to survive. We have the ability to adapt to the environment around us, and right now adapting as best as possible until we hopefully see some positive progress in the issue of global warming might be the only solution there is.

» Wired Magazine

Tags: two takes, pinky's take, depression, eco-depression, solastalgia, glenn albrecht	Comments (5) \| Send to a Friend Share on Facebook \| Permalink
		Be the 1^st to rate this post! Currently 0/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5

Is there anyone actually using our environment?

I agree with the idea that we are beginning to lose a sense of comfort in our own environment because it's changing right before our eyes. I know I can remember winters with more snow and colder temperatures. When I was a kid I can remember finding heaps of snow anywhere for after school tobogganing; now I have to search hard to find a place for my own kids to go. Every year seems to get worse and worse. But how many people is this actually affecting?

As far as 'SAD' or 'Solstalgia' goes I don't believe there are enough people who spend enough quality time outside in their environment to actually notice any change. There are so many distractions for kids and adults these days I don’t think they can be bothered to go outside. Who needs a snowbank when you have ‘Guitar Hero’ to fill an afternoon or weekend.

I live in Calgary, a city with 1 million people, which is only a one hour drive to the Canadian Rockies. I spend a fair amount of time in the mountains and over the years during weekend excursions I've often thought myself lucky there wasn't anyone around, maybe everyone happened to go to one of the other places this weekend or maybe their going next weekend and that's why it's so quiet. But lately, I think people are just more inclined to hang around the house on the weekends and watch football or go to the same old night club and get blasted. It just doesn't add up, how can there be 1 million people that close and none of them be out in the wilderness on the weekend.

I hope we can turn around our attitudes about climate change and what it is doing to our environment but I can't see our memories helping much, especially when such a limited percentage of the population is actually out enjoying it. What are we going to have to remember?

cb (Posted January 6, 2008 4:26 PM)

When your igloos melt you will have no place to play guitar hero. You live in calgary, canada and it is too cold to go outside. You would die. The global warming is good for you there.

In the meantime you should visit California.

2beef (Posted January 7, 2008 9:09 AM)

LOL! 2beef ur ghey but ur right canada is a frigid place

binx (Posted January 7, 2008 5:58 PM)

Hey there, easy big guy.

Here are the top 10 reasons that I don’t have anything 2beef about for choosing to live in Canada!

1. No poisonous snakes (I hate snakes)
2. No George Bush (see point #1)
3. No wildfires to burn down billionaire homes (cant they afford fire hydrants?)
4. No Hurricanes (Katrina was a real bummer – for the people and the animals)
5. No tsunamis (this one sucked too)
6. No Bill Clinton (speaking of suck!)
7. No Hillary Clinton (actually I respect her – she can move here)
8. Great neighbors with a state of the art defense system; so we can spend our time in at bingo.
9. USA took in Pamela Anderson – she a heck of an actor I tell y’all!
10. It was warmer in Calgary last week than in Florida [insert frozen citrus photo here].

Mountain Man (Posted January 8, 2008 11:37 AM)

snakes rule

binx (Posted January 8, 2008 7:19 PM)