Climate change is intensifying mental health challenges, making scalable digital support essential for vulnerable communities.
Authors
Sonali Sejwal, TERI University, India
Kirti Tyagi, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of Psychology & Counselling, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Summary
Climate change disasters like heat waves, wildfires, and floods are increasing psychological distress, especially in vulnerable communities. With 3.3 to 3.6 billion people in climate-sensitive regions, mental health concerns linked to displacement, financial instability, and livelihood loss are rising. This chapter explores the link between climate change and mental health, highlighting emerging conditions like depression, PTSD, and eco-anxiety. It emphasizes scalable digital mental health strategies to support traditional care and build resilience. Technology-enabled interventions like tele-counseling, mental health apps, online peer support platforms, and messaging services are examined in the disaster context. The chapter also addresses the barriers like infrastructure gaps, digital literacy, stigma, ethics, and data privacy. It reviews global and Indian policy efforts like Kiran Helpline, Tele-MANAS, Australia’s MindSpot, and WHO’s Step-by-Step, providing inclusive and culturally sensitive recommendations.
Published in: Mental Health Interventions for Climate Emergency Displacement
To read the full chapter, please click here.
