The human mind is not equipped to handle continuous stressors that send our systems into fight, flight, or freeze. In Canada, environmental disasters impact mental health, displace families, and threaten livelihoods. Thousands of Canadians are silently suffering from the psychological effects of these disasters.
Canada has made strides in addressing post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) among public safety personnel. However, the current governmental approach overlooks the broader mental health crisis caused by environmental disasters affecting communities at large.
Launched in 2019, the National Action Plan on PTSI aimed to support first responders who witness tragedies directly. However, this plan neglects others affected by environmental disasters. This includes families who lost their homes or are forced to leave their homes temporarily, people losing their livelihoods, and Indigenous communities facing ongoing harm to their lands. Their trauma is real, but often ignored in government frameworks.
The plan focuses on funding research, providing online mental health services such as PSPNET, and offering training programs through institutions like the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment . While these initiatives benefit public safety workers, they do not provide support to all communities enduring environmental devastation.
The government needs to adopt a community-wide, trauma-informed approach, ensuring that all people affected by environmental trauma, whatever their background or their circumstances, have the support they need to be healthy, safe, and able to continue to make a positive contribution to society.
The strategy should ensure that all individuals impacted by climate disasters — especially those in rural, Indigenous, and marginalized communities — receive both immediate and sustained mental health support. There should be collaboration with mental health professionals, disaster response experts, policymakers, and community leaders to develop inclusive and community-focused solutions. Dedicated government funding is needed to enhance resources.
Trauma-informed training for local responders and community leaders is needed. Frontline health and community leaders must be equipped to effectively deal with environmental trauma. Ensuring immediate psychological support through tele-health services for all people living in remote areas where mental health care is limited, particularly after disasters, is essential.
Mental health must be made a core aspect of disaster preparedness, with continuous policy updates informed by psychological research and community feedback. Public education campaigns, through initiatives like "Rebuilding Resilience: Understanding the Impact of Environmental Trauma," will help communities recognize, process, and heal from the hidden wounds of environmental disasters.
Trauma has a profound effect on the brain, especially in the wake of disasters, as the body shifts into survival mode, releasing stress hormones that can disrupt sleep and increase anxiety. When disasters are prolonged or keep reoccurring, the consequences are more severe. If left unaddressed, the fallout from environmental trauma can result in elevated rates of PTSD, depression, substance abuse, and even suicide, potentially affecting future generations.
As Canada faces the ongoing challenges of climate change, it cannot afford to treat environmental trauma lightly. The emotional devastation caused by environmental disasters is significant, and without immediate action, the mental health crisis will deepen.
Policymakers must rethink their strategies regarding mental health and environmental trauma. While the government's plan is important, it does not adequately serve those who need assistance the most. The time for action is now: Canada must adopt a national strategy that protects and supports all citizens, not just those in uniform.
