Could Air Pollution Be Affecting Our Mental Health?

We live in an industrial world that is constantly pumping out dangerous fumes and gases into the atmosphere. Natural events can also pollute our air with pollen, smoke from bushfires and the dust from windstorms. There are many other pollutants that can affect the quality of air we breathe impacting on our overall health, mental health and general wellbeing. Air pollution has been known to cause respiratory problems, heart problems and has been linked to causing some forms of cancer.

Long term and short term exposure can cause serious health issues. Previous studies had shown how both air pollution and impaired lung function were jointly causing deficits in cognition. Now new research has discovered how the quality of air we breathe directly affects cognition without being caused by lung impairments.

The Australian Environment & The World

Those who live in low lying areas like valleys are more likely to be susceptible to breathing polluted air that usually settles in low lying areas. Those living near major road ways will experience reduced air quality. Those who live in towns that experience sea breezes will have less air pollution with greater quality of breathable air.

According to the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Australia has very clean air when compared to world standards. However the entire world is experiencing the greenhouse effect of global warming that has increased in the last 50 years due to the industrial revolution causing the earth to become warmer affecting weather patterns and climates around the world.

Common greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere

• carbon monoxide
• carbon dioxide
• methane
• nitrous oxide
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
• halons

Mental Health and air Pollution

Kirsten Weir of the American Psychological Association (APA) wrote an article titled, ‘Smog On our Brains’ that points out how researchers have discovered connections between air pollution, decreased cognition and well-being.

An excerpt from ‘Smog On Our Brains’

Over the past decade, researchers have found that high levels of air pollution may damage children’s cognitive abilities, increase adults’ risk of cognitive decline and possibly even contribute to depression.

“This should be taken seriously,” says Paul Mohai, PhD, a professor in the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment who has studied the link between air pollution and academic performance in children. “I don’t think the issue has gotten the visibility it deserves.”

Young minds are especially vulnerable to the damaging effects of air pollutants

In at test conducted in Boston USA that followed more than 200 children throughout their development from birth to the age of ten , researchers found that kids exposed to greater levels of black carbon were scoring less in tests of verbal, non-verbal and memory test IQ tests.

Other tests conducted on children in New York showed that kids where were exposed to higher levels of air pollution while developing in their mother’s womb were more likely to have problems with attention and were showing symptoms of depression and anxiety. These chemicals are a by-product of burning fossil fuels called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Mental Health Problems Set To Increase With Climate Change
Global Greenhouse Warming‘s article titled “Mental Health And Climate Change will have a significant impact on mental health by the year 2020. Adding that if present trends continue, it will be the biggest cause of sickness after heart disease by 2050.

In an excerpt from the article…
“Given that human mental health is a state of being that is both affected by and affects the world in which we live, the link between mental health (what we think, feel, believe and ultimately do) and climate change is critical if we are to achieve positive change. Currently western ways of thinking and doing perpetuate the illusion that we are not an integral part of a planetary system, but rather above and in control of it. Human well-being – indeed survival – is likely to be very limited if this world view does not change.” (Andrew Lyon and Maddy Halliday, 2005, Climate Change and Mental Health in the 21st Century, International Futures Forum)”

Sandra Ciminelli
Cred. Dip. Couns. (Christian)

Resources

American Psychological Association (APA) Smog On Our Brains 

Where to Get Help

Talk to your doctor.
Visit CCAA to search for a Christian counsellor near you.
Visit ACA to search for a counsellor near you.

Studying at aifc

Have you thought about counselling?   It’s a great opportunity to learn how you can extend God’s love and grace to the hurting out in the community.

For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:

–The beginning of each year in February
-Mid-Year courses commence in July

Enrolment Season – opens approximately 2 months prior our courses commencing. Enquire now and fill out the form with your details to receive course information by email.  Enrol online here during our enrolment season.

Those living overseas can study aifc’s courses via our Distance Based Program.
The International  Student Program,  enables those with a student visa to Study On Campus in Sydney.

Note: A Master of Counselling course was introduced in 2018.

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