Mental health in the age of climate crisis: insights following major floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Abstract

Climate change is increasingly contributing to the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, with floods being the most common worldwide. This article explores the intersection of climate change — framed within the Anthropocene Epoch — and mental health, focusing on the devastating floods of May 2024 in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It highlights the emerging field of planetary health, which emphasizes the intrinsic connection between human well-being and environmental stability. The study examines the mental health consequences of climate-related disasters, particularly floods, which are linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use. It draws on examples from this research group’s interventions and projects. The discussion centers on the psychological and social impacts of flooding on affected communities, with particular attention to the cumulative stress experienced by vulnerable populations. The article identifies gaps in the literature regarding the long-term mental health effects of climate disasters — especially among marginalized groups such as children, women, and Indigenous communities, who are disproportionately impacted. It also underscores the need to understand both the direct and indirect consequences of climate events on mental health, including displacement and the breakdown of social structures. This study calls for urgent global action to address the mental health burden associated with climate disasters. It advocates for creative, community-based interventions that incorporate the psychosocial dimensions of these events. Furthermore, it recommends the development of policies that prioritize mental health within climate change response strategies, particularly in low-resource settings, where vulnerability is greatest. Recognizing that each climate disaster adds new layers of stress to already at-risk populations, the article emphasizes the importance of preparedness and coordinated government and community responses. It argues that effective transformations in human-led systems must include collaborative strategies for recovery and long-term resilience, with mental health placed at the core. These strategies should be grounded in a perspective long held by Indigenous peoples: that we are not separate from nature — we are nature.