Breaking the silence: unveiling the intersection of climate change and youth mental health in Indonesia

Authors

  • Fransiska Kaligis Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3776-7064
  • Grace Wangge Public Health, Monash University, Tangerang, Indonesia
  • Gabriela Fernando Public Health, Monash University, Tangerang, Indonesia
  • Ida Bagus Nyoman Adi Palguna Department of Health Science, University of the People, Pasadena, United States https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6678-8326
  • Billy Pramatirta Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • Natasha Vania Theresia Purba Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.13181/mji.bc.247147

Keywords:

anxiety, climate change, health policy, mental health, youth

Abstract

In Southeast Asia, home to 362.2 million adolescents, the issue of adolescent mental health is aggravated by climate change. Indonesia, with its large youth population, faces a concerning prevalence of mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression. The intersection of climate change and youth mental health is manifested in the complex interaction of environmental hazards, societal changes, and psychological impact on adolescents and young people. Climate-related hazards exacerbate the existing and give rise to new mental health issues in youths, notably anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and the emerging concepts such as eco-anxiety. Eco-anxiety, a novel concept, amplifies these concerns as youths grapple with climate change-related fears despite not yet being recognized as a formal mental disorder. To address this concern, immediate action should be taken, such as advocating for increased mental health support, youth involvement in climate initiatives, youth advisory committees, increased funding for mental health interventions, and the formulation of a youth-centered mental health policy. This call to action is crucial not only for Indonesia but also provides a framework for addressing similar global challenges, empowering adolescents to confront climate-induced mental health issues while nurturing their resilience.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia. Mental health status of adolescents in South-East Asia: evidence for action. New Delhi: World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia Regional Office for South-East Asia; 2017.

Center for Reproductive Health, University of Queensland, & Johns Bloomberg Hopkins School of Public Health. Indonesia - National Adolescent Mental Health Survey (I-NAHMS): research report. Yogyakarta: Center for Reproductive Health Universitas Gadjah Mada; 2022.

Brådvik L. Suicide risk and mental disorders. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(9):2028. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15092028

World Health Organization. Mental health of adolescents [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2021 [cited 2023 Jul 6]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health.

World Health Organization. Why mental health is a priority for action on climate change [Internet]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022 [cited 2023 Jul 6]. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/03-06-2022-why-mental-health-is-a-priority-for-action-on-climate-change.

Covalan C, Gray B, Villalobos E, Sena A, Hanna F, Campbell-Lendrum D, et al. Mental health and climate change: policy brief. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022.

Hickman C, Marks E, Pihkala P, Clayton S, Lewandowski RE, Mayall EE, et al. Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey. Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(12):e863-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3

Gunasiri H, Patrick R, Snell T, Garad R, Enticott J, Meadows G, et al. Young people's mental health in a changing climate. Lancet Planet Health. 2022;6(S1):1. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00263-7

Andina YR. ["Eco-anxiety" phenomenon on young generation] [Internet]. Jakarta: Ministry of Health, Directorate General of Health Services; 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 7]. Available from: https://yankes.kemkes.go.id/view_artikel/2060/fenomena-eco-anxiety-pada-generasi-muda. Indonesian.

International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development. [Climate change forces the vulnerable to become more vulnerable] [Internet]. Jakarta: International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development; 2022 [cited 2023 Jul 7]. Available from: https://www.infid.org/news/read/perubahan-iklim-memaksa-yang-rentan-semakin-rentan. Indonesian.

McGushin A, Gasparri G, Graef V, Ngendahayo C, Timilsina S, Bustreo F, et al. Adolescent wellbeing and climate crisis: adolescents are responding, what about health professionals? BMJ. 2022;379:e071690. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-071690

Brown MJ, White BP, Nicholas PK. Mental health impacts of climate change: considerations for nurse practitioners. J Nurse Pract. 2022;18(4):359-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2021.07.013

Yayasan Indonesia Cerah. [Perception of young voters (Gen Z and millennial) to the climate change problem in Indonesia] [Internet]. Yayasan Indonesia Cerah; 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 23]. Available from: https://www.cerah.or.id/api-storage/publication/yAxslz3FtghtNKd5n7q1pyAoWjoJ5VEwgLBlFh6T.pdf. Indonesian.

Project Planet Indonesia. Green organization [Internet]. Jakarta: Project Planet Indonesia; 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 11]. Available from: https://www.projectplanetid.com/indonesia-green-organizations.

Papadopoulos M, Renaldi E. These young Indonesians feel 'eco-anxiety' over climate change. Here's what they are doing to change that [Internet]. ABC News; 2021 [cited 2023 Jun 10]. Available from: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-17/young-people-experienced-eco-anxiety-while-trying-to-save-future/100539788.

United Nations. Youth in action [Internet]. New York: United Nations; 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 11]. Available from: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/youth-in-action.

The Resilience Project. Our story [Internet]. United Kingdom: The Resilience Project; 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 23]. Available from: https://www.theresilienceproject.org.uk/our-story-1.

Youthtopia. Connecting and empowering young leaders [Internet]. Indonesia: Youthtopia; [cited 2023 Aug 23]. Available from: https://www.youthtopia.world/circle-of-youth.

Sibomana F. Let's include the voice of young people and support their initiatives in nutrition advocacy. Rwanda: UNICEF - Voices of Youth; 2020 [cited 2023 Jul 12]. Available from: https://www.voicesofyouth.org/blog/lets-include-voice-young-people-and-support-their-initiatives-nutrition-advocacy.

World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia. Addressing mental health in Indonesia [Internet]. World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia; 2022 [cited 2023 Jun 23]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789290210184.

NSW Government. NSW Health Mental Health Youth Advisory Group [Internet]. NSW Government; 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 24]. Available from: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/services/children/Pages/youth-advisory-group.aspx.

Published

2024-02-01

How to Cite

1.
Kaligis F, Wangge G, Fernando G, Palguna IBNA, Pramatirta B, Purba NVT. Breaking the silence: unveiling the intersection of climate change and youth mental health in Indonesia. Med J Indones [Internet]. 2024Feb.1 [cited 2024Nov.3];32(4):249-53. Available from: https://mji.ui.ac.id/journal/index.php/mji/article/view/7147

Issue

Section

Brief Communication
Abstract viewed = 298 times

Most read articles by the same author(s)