The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) warns of the effects of heat on people’s mental health

High temperatures and humidity have been linked to increased symptoms in people with depression.generalized anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder. Some investigations go further, finding that for every 1°C increase in average monthly temperature, mental health-related deaths increase by 2.2%.

Have you ever felt that when it’s too hot you get annoyed, if you’re in the car you’re annoyed even by the sweaty rubbing of the person next to you or if you’re driving you’re honking and you have less tolerance? Do you feel tired, aggressive, anxious, sad, or overwhelmed? These are also the effects of heat. a Pan American Health Organization The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has published several reports and appeals to countries to address this phenomenon.

Recent studies reveal that A At least 10% increase in hospitalization emergencies due to dehydration and heatstrokeand an increase in road and work accidents, ”explains Julio Villegas, counselor at the Jalisco Institute of Mental Health.

“The heat will produce symptoms of anxiety if we do not hydrate ourselves well. If we do not stay in the shade and protect ourselves, then that is the feeling of restlessness and discomfort in different parts of the body and in the mind. If the heat continues, it will greatly increase the irritation.Which can lead to low frustration tolerance or what we know as low frustration tolerance.”

but, If someone already has a mental health problem Like anxiety, a psychosocial problem like pressure or a specific problem such as depression, Symptoms caused by heat will increase.

Increase mental health care during hot weather

Villegas said this has already been demonstrated in different regions of the world and measured as a direct health effect, for example, according to the Pan American Health Organization in Australia. “The heat wave increases medical consultations for dementia and emotional illnesses, as depression, pressure The mortality rate for drug users and people with dementia and other illnesses similar to schizophrenia are included“, and warns.

High temperatures can worsen symptoms in people with existing mental health problems. Heat waves, as well as other weather events such as floods and fires, have been linked to increased symptoms of depression and acute or post-traumatic stress disorder..

obvious physical symptoms

If you have to perform any cognitive tasks, the heat can cause mental fatigue, which hinders your ability to think and reason smoothly.. PAHO data reveal how regions of the brain responsible for solving complex cognitive tasks are affected by heat stress.

The agency also noted how climate change has a direct impact on the global health of populations.

In addition, the heat of the night also means that people will not sleep due to restlessness and irritability, says the expert. If people can’t sleep, they won’t rest, and the next day they’ll be grumpy or tired at school or at work.

This state of mind will have ramifications for lowered productivity, poor school performance, and in some cases, may even cause accidents when falling asleep while driving or in front of a machine.. Therefore, the experts call on the population to seek appropriate temperatures in the performance of their activities, to hydrate themselves well and to expose themselves as little as possible to the sun or to very hot or closed areas without ventilation.