Climate change trauma and collective dissociation
Unraveling the impact on mental health and advocating for collective action
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7148985 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Deborah Oluwaseun Shomuyiwa (0000-0001-6665-9439, University of Georgia, corresponding author), Don-Eliseo Lucero-Prisno, Don‐Eliseo Lucero‐Prisno (Mahidol University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Pages | e5-e5 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Cambridge Prisms Global Mental Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2054-4251 • E-ISSN: 2054-4251 |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/gmh.2024.119 |
| PMID | 39935732 |
| OpenAlex | W4406376495 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 21 |
The climate change crisis is a complex global challenge that has far- reaching implications for public health and well-being. Rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events are impacting physical health, mental well-being, and ecological balance. Vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected, especially in terms of food security. Furthermore, climate-related disasters have profound and lasting effects on mental health, leading to trauma responses and dissociation as coping mechanisms. This perspective delves into the concept of collective dissociation, a subconscious defense mechanism that hinders effective action in the face of the overwhelming climate crisis. Understanding and characterizing this phenomenon is essential to promote meaningful climate action. To combat collective dissociation and facilitate effective collective action, several strategies are proposed. Responsible information management for advocacy, local moral support, strategic policy development, and research on climate trauma processing are highlighted as vital approaches. By addressing the mental health implications of climate change, raising awareness, and prioritizing resilience and cooperation, societies can transcend collective dissociation and work together towards a more sustainable future for both the planet and its inhabitants. This call to action underscores the need for comprehensive and guided measures to safeguard planetary and population health in the face of this pressing crisis
Climate change · Collective action · Mental health · Political science · Politics · Psychiatry · Chemistry · Climate Change and Geoengineering · Climate Change and Health Impacts · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Law · Psychology · Geology · Oceanography
Climate Change and Mental Health
The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health
Personal and social factors that influence pro-environmental concern and behaviour: A review
Climate change, fragmentation and collective trauma. Bridging the divided stories we live by
Personal experience and the ‘psychological distance’ of climate change
Institutional inertia and climate change
States of Emergency
Climate Trauma
Reflections on climate change communication research and practice in the second decade of the 21st century
The dragons of inaction
Avoiding cultural trauma
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |