Coping with oppressive heat: Mental health strategies

NEWSCENTER FIVE. EMILY. THANK YOU. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT ALL WEEK LONG. THIS OPPRESSIVE HEAT AND HUMIDITY. SO WE KNOW THAT IT CAN TAKE A TOLL ON THE BODIES PHYSICALLY. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH? HERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IS DOCTOR ALICE CONNORS KELLGREN, A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AT TUFTS MEDICAL CENTER. IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU, DOCTOR. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. YEAH, WE APPRECIATE IT. DOCTOR, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WAYS THIS HEAT CAN IMPACT OUR MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING? WELL, I THINK WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED THAT HEAT CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH. PEOPLE CAN BECOME MORE DEPRESSED OR IRRITABLE IN THE EXTREME HEAT. THEY CAN HAVE MORE DIFFICULTY MANAGING THEIR IMPULSIVITY. SO THAT ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, THINK BEFORE YOU ACT, PEOPLE MIGHT EXPERIENCE BRAIN FOG OR STRUGGLE WITH MORE COGNITIVELY DEMANDING TASKS, AND IT CAN EVEN BRING ON PSYCHOTIC EPISODES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HISTORY OF PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS. AND DOCTOR, HIGH HEAT, HIGH HEAT EXPOSURE CAN CAN CAUSE HEIGHTENED SYMPTOMS FOR PEOPLE WITH UNDERLYING CONDITIONS, RIGHT? LIKE LIKE DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY OR OR PEOPLE WHO TAKE CERTAIN MEDICATIONS LIKE ANTIDEPRESSANTS. WHAT IS THEIR CAUSE AND EFFECT? WHY IS THAT? YEAH. SO THIS IS A NEW AREA OF STUDY. SO THERE’S STILL A LOT TO BE LEARNED. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THE NEUROTRANSMITTERS SO THOSE BRAIN CHEMICALS THAT IMPACT MOOD LIKE SEROTONIN, DOPAMINE AND NOREPINEPHRINE ARE ALSO PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THERMOREGULATION OR OUR ABILITY TO CONTROL OUR BODY TEMPERATURE. SO FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION OR WHO ARE TAKING ANTIDEPRESSANTS, THESE NEUROTRANSMITTERS ARE OFTEN NOT OPTIMIZED. THEY’RE NOT REALLY AT THE RIGHT LEVEL. AND SO THEIR ABILITY TO REGULATE THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE WILL ALSO BE AFFECTED, MAKING THEM LESS TOLERABLE TO HOT WEATHER. SO WHAT STEPS CAN PEOPLE TAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE PREPARED FOR THE HEAT, PREPARED TO HELP OTHERS WHO MIGHT NEED IT EMOTIONALLY? YEAH. SO DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO STAY COOL AND KEEP YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE REGULATED. WHETHER IT’S TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AIR CONDITIONED SPACES OR GOING FOR A SWIM. BUT IT’S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE WAYS IN WHICH HEAT AFFECTS OUR MENTAL HEALTH. SO HOT DAYS ARE PROBABLY NOT THE BEST DAYS TO SCHEDULE HIGH STRESS MEETINGS, PARTICULARLY DEMANDING TASKS OR DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS. SAVE THOSE ACTIVITIES FOR WHEN YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE AND EMOTIONS ARE MORE REGULATED. ALL RIGHT, DOCTOR CONNORS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.