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Chapter Three Impacts of Global Climate Change

or intensify excessively, they may lead to long-term psychological distress. For instance,
some individuals may continue to suffer from anxiety or insomnia for weeks or even months
after the disaster, struggling to restore their daily routines.
（2）Anxiety and Depression
As post-disaster reconstruction progresses, affected populations face multiple uncertain-
ties such as housing resettlement and economic recovery, which can easily trigger anxiety
and depression. Anxiety typically manifests as excessive worry about the future and hyper-
vigilance towards potential threats, such as fear of similar disasters recurring or concerns
about inability to rebuild homes. Depression is characterized by low mood, loss of interest,
and feelings of helplessness, particularly in cases of bereavement or significant economic
losses, where these emotions are more likely to persist. For instance, following floods or
hurricanes, many families may confront challenges including housing damage, property
loss, and livelihood disruption. These practical issues not only create financial strain but also
impose psychological burdens. Those who have lost family members or suffered substantial
economic losses are especially vulnerable to prolonged depressive states and difficulties in
resuming normal life.
（3）Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
For some individuals who have experienced extremely terrifying scenarios or
life-threatening situations, they may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD
is a severe psychological condition that typically emerges after experiencing or witnessing
catastrophic events. Symptoms include recurrent recollections of disaster scenes, nightmares,
emotional numbness, and hypervigilance. For example, those who lost loved ones in an
earthquake might repeatedly recall scenes from the disaster, even reliving these horrifying
images in their dreams.
PTSD patients exhibit hypervigilance or avoidance behaviors toward external stimuli,
such as avoiding discussions of disaster-related topics or displaying intense fear responses
to similar environments. This disorder severely impacts patients’ daily life quality and social
functioning, potentially leading to reduced work efficiency, strained interpersonal relation-
ships, and even triggering self-harm or suicidal behavior.
(4) Psychological Stress from Progressive Environmental Changes
In addition to sudden natural disasters, gradual environmental changes also pose sig-
nificant challenges to human mental health. Issues such as rising sea levels, droughts, and
desertification caused by climate change, while not as sudden or intense as natural disas-
ters,their long-term cumulative impacts are far more profound. These environmental changes
gradually erode mental health by altering people’s living environments and social structures.
2.Sense of Loss of Homeland
With rising sea levels and frequent storm surges in coastal areas, residents of many
island nations and low-lying regions are forced to migrate, losing homes inherited through
generations. This experience of involuntary displacement creates profound feelings of loss

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