Prioritizing the Mental Health of Young People in Times of Rapid Climate Change
by samarys seguinot medina
As children grow older, climate-related mental health issues intensify. Vulnerability is further compounded by factors such as poverty, racism, gender, disability, and intergenerational trauma.
Climate change and rising temperatures are significantly impacting mental health worldwide. Mental health includes emotional, psychological, spiritual, and social well-being, influencing how we think, feel, act, and relate to others. Young people are especially vulnerable to climate-related anxiety and stress, including PTSD and depression, which often follow extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and heat waves.
Research shows that for every 1°C rise in temperature, suicide rates increase by 0.7% in the U.S. and 3.1% in Mexico. Indigenous populations, particularly American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth aged 10–24, have the highest suicide rates in the U.S., highlighting the disproportionate mental health burden they face.
As children grow older, climate-related mental health issues intensify. Vulnerability is further compounded by factors such as poverty, racism, gender, disability, and intergenerational trauma. In one study, 77% of young people reported that “the future is scary,” and over 45% stated that climate change negatively impacts their daily lives.
Recent events like Typhoon Halong in western Alaska, which displaced over 1,500 people—mostly Alaska Natives—underscore the urgency. These communities also face environmental injustices, including pollution from abandoned military sites, mismanaged hazardous waste, and pollutants carried to the Arctic from distant sources. Melting glaciers and permafrost are now releasing pollutants that have accumulated for decades, further threatening health and well-being.
The 2023 report “Mental Health and Our Changing Climate: Children and Youth” highlights how climate change exacerbates existing mental health challenges. These include developmental issues, depression, anxiety, racism, poverty, behavioral problems, housing insecurity, nutrition, substance abuse, and limited access to healthcare. These stressors can lead to psychiatric disorders in adulthood.
Young people increasingly feel frustrated and betrayed by the inadequate global response to climate change. Yet, many are channeling their anxiety into activism, participating in marches and protests to demand change.
Supporting the Mental Health of Children and Youth: • Use culturally relevant suicide prevention strategies that honor Indigenous values and traditions. • Address systemic roots of mental illness in Indigenous communities through decolonizing education and promoting sovereignty. • Create systemic solutions to climate change, including a just transition to sustainable, peaceful, and democratic systems. • Expand access to mental health care, especially in remote and Indigenous areas. • Provide school-based support and opportunities that promote traditional healing and cultural practices. • Encourage the use of Alaska Native languages, stories, music, and songs for healing. • Offer professional assessments to identify and treat climate-related distress. • Help parents teach children about climate change, manage fears, foster hope, and build resilience. • Support organizations like Alaska Community Action on Toxics (ACAT), which advocate for banning toxic chemicals and promoting environmental policies that protect the most vulnerable. • Promote programs like Yarducopia, which teach organic gardening and help families grow toxic-free food—beneficial for both mental and physical health.
Our connection to the earth is our medicine Promoting environmental and mental health means honoring traditions, protecting natural resources, and creating safe spaces for healing. Your voice, well-being, and culture matter.
Mental Health Resources: Crisis Intervention • National Mental Health Crisis Line: 988 • Alaska Careline: 1-877-266-4357 • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Treatment Options • Southcentral Foundation: 907-729-2500
Dr. Samarys Seguinot-Medina, a Boricua from Puerto Rico, is an environmental and public health scientist living on Dena’ina lands in Alaska.
