Climate Change Impacts on Mental Health Will Lead to Increased Digitization of Mental Health Care

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The evidence for the impact of climate change on the mental health of individuals and communities is reviewed, and the literature on the importance of digital systems in reducing carbon emissions is addressed. RECENT FINDINGS: Most of the climate change impacts on mental health are disaster related, although recent literature on “eco-anxiety,” often described as anxiety about the long-term effects of climate change, is emerging. There is strong evidence that the use of telepsychiatry and digital approaches to mental health care can reduce carbon emissions by reducing travel for patients and providers as well as provide effective distance care in disasters. Hybrid care, asynchronous consultations, and care at home are all innovations that will further reduce carbon emissions. SUMMARY: The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated the digitization of psychiatry, and climate change will continue to drive these changes in the future. Much more research on these overlapping issues is required.