A polluted mind?

I am a patient of osteoarthritis and depression. I was recently recommended to begin taking walks outdoors. Since I live in a polluted city, I am unable to do so. I am also deeply concerned about the air quality status and am wondering if it has any effect on one's mental health?

There is a growing debate on the role of the physical environment and what constitutes risk and protective factors for mental health. Pollution is one of the risks. Poor air quality has been considered a major factor impacting everyone's health and quality of life. After all, we all breathe the same air. Although everyone talks about the effects of air pollution on physical health, few know about the mental health aspects of it.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that nine of every 10 people worldwide inhale polluted air, and that exposure to polluted air is accountable for seven million deaths annually. The link between air pollution and mental health is not mentioned by governmental bodies and doctors because it is difficult to determine a clear causal relationship between the two.

Air pollution can cause serious neurocognitive effects, ranging from behavioural variations to neurodegenerative disorders, which can ultimately have devastating effects on mental health.

Causes

✻ Neuroinflammatory hypothesis: Air pollutants can trigger the neuroinflammatory response in our bodies.

✻ Gene-environment interaction hypothesis: Gene functions and environment interact with each other to produce an effect that neither would produce alone.

✻ Chronic respiratory illnesses flare up during these times and lead to more stress.

Effects on mental health

Leading studies from around the world have shown that air pollution can significantly increase rates of depression and other mental health issues among the people exposed to air pollutants. More visits are made to mental health OPDs during peak pollution seasons across the globe. Air pollution could lead to higher rates of:

✻ Depression

✻ Anxiety

✻ Suicidal behaviour

✻ Impulsive control disorder

✻ Alzheimer's disease

✻ Parkinson's disease

✻ Schizophrenia

✻ Bipolar disorder

✻ In children: Toxic fumes can impact their cognitive growth, worsen existing ADHD, present learning difficulties etc.

✻ Overall deterioration in quality of life and happiness.

Some researchers have shown:

✻ Interquartile range increases in NOx and PM2.5: an 18-39 per cent increase in common mental disorders;

✻ Higher levels of nitrogen oxides, O3, PM, sulphur oxide: more suicides etc.;

✻ Interquartile range increases in PM10: 33 per cent of psychotic experiences;

✻ Younger people, especially the kids, suffer with higher rates of depression, poor memory and impeded cognitive development — contributing to scholastic backwardness, inattention and sleep issues from early on.

How can the effects be mitigated?

The impact of air pollution cannot be cut out entirely for obvious reasons. However, there are ways you can handle your mental health, such as:

✻ Managing stress through meditation, yoga and journaling;

✻ Breathing techniques to be practised to help restore pulmonary function;

✻ Adjusting diet and exercising;

✻ Exercises can be done indoors with minor adjustments;

✻ Getting enough sleep and sunlight;

✻ Seeking therapy if you have a mental health disorder.

While air pollution is not the sole factor behind mental health disorders, its role cannot be denied. Let us all do our part by going green — not only for the environment but also for our minds.

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