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The Delhi government, in a report to the NGT, highlighted that air pollution exposure worsens mental health, leading to feelings of sadness, cognitive difficulties, and a reduced ability to cope with life’s challenges.
Experts say there is emerging evidence now that PM 2.5 in the air is associated with poor health both respiratory as well as mental.
Delhi’s winter is almost here and so are pollution and smog. Over the past ten years, city residents have become aware of how this toxic cocktail has been damaging their lungs, but many may not realise the toll it is taking on their mental health.
The Delhi government, in a report to the National Green Tribunal earlier this year, highlighted that air pollution exposure worsens mental health, leading to feelings of sadness, cognitive difficulties, and a reduced ability to cope with life’s challenges. Some other studies have also shown a clear connection between mental well-being and air pollution. One such study, which was published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal College of Psychiatrists, underlined that the relationship between mental health and air pollution is growing.
How Air Pollution Affects Mental Health
News18 spoke with Kamaldeep Bhui, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford, who formulated the idea for this research, on a video call to discuss how air pollution is affecting people’s mental health.
Bhui said that the main findings of his study show that there is significant evidence to prove pollution is associated with mental health problems. He also called for concrete steps to deal with air pollution problem, saying this is not something “we can continue to ignore”.
“There is emerging evidence now that PM 2.5 in the air is associated with poor health both respiratory as well as mental. Once PM gets inside the body, it causes inflammation. It can get into the brain tissue through nasal passage. We know that inflammation is associated with depression and mental health problems. Data shows in very polluted areas, there are more health problems including mental health. This could be related to both direct effects like mental health problems including anxiety and depression and there could be indirect effects like poor physical health which then leads to poor mental health,” he told News18.
The Psychiatry Professor also underlined that physical health and mental health are “mutually causative”. “So, if you have a mental health problem. You are more likely to have a physical health problem and vice versa partly because of lifestyle, deprivation, nutrition and partly maybe due to biological mechanisms like inflammation,” he added.
Bhui pointed out that evidence shows a surprising fact that air pollution is linked to the new onset of mental health issues as well as the exacerbation of existing problems.
“Levels of admissions to hospitals in some areas of London are higher where there is more pollution. This is an interesting observation. What are the things that lead to poor mental health? Someone who has already gotten mental health problems and with lung disease, you can understand. You breathe in something, you get asthmatic. We are not quite sure what it is. There’s something going on. Whether it is inflammation or it is a general effect of air pollution. The other possible explanation which is particularly true for Delhi, air pollution is highly correlated with urbanisation,” he said.
How You Can Protect Yourself
The Oxford professor also explained what individuals who have developed mental health issues, or whose problems have worsened, should do to manage their symptoms effectively.
“If you have poor health, you are living in an urban area. You have to do something about air pollution both outdoors and indoors. Some people forget about the quality of the air inside the house. They can use air purifiers. If you have got mental health or physical health issues, eat well, make sure you do something meaningful every day and you are learning all the time. Your lifestyle needs to be good and your environment has to be safe. Specifically, if you have developed mental problems, reach out to psychiatrists. You need to have a good assessment of your problem,” Bhui said.
How Delhi Air Pollution Is Making You Sick
Priti Srivastava, founder of the mental health think tank “Dayarani,” has observed an increasing number of cases in Delhi-NCR where individuals reported experiencing mental unrest and emotional discomfort due to air pollution.
“People who are already undergoing therapy have complained they feel uncomfortable and choked as air pollution quality deteriorates in Delhi-NCR. They get scared as if something else is happening. Physical ailments and air pollution together are responsible for rise in mental health issues like anxiety, fear, depression etc. in Delhi-NCR,” she said.
One of India’s top psychiatrists and Chairman of the Vohra Neuropsychiatry Centre, Dr Sandeep Vohra, explained that PM 2.5 particles, which are less than or equal to 2.5 micrometre in diameter, can cause inflammation in the brain once they enter a patient’s body, leading to feelings of anxiety.
“PM 2.5 is linked with anxiety and depression. Physical discomfort like breathing issues can also lead to insomnia. These indirect effects can also be responsible for mental health issues. PM 2.5, nitrogen oxide, once you inhale them, they will go and cause inflammation in the brain through the blood. This tends to directly cause stress in the brain by causing chemical imbalance, leading to anxiety and depression,” Dr Vohra pointed out.
It is pertinent to note that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is the major pollutant in Delhi as pointed out by Gufran Beig, founder of SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research).
Highlighting air pollution and its ill effect on mental health of people, Suresh Bada Math, Prof of Psychiatry, NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences), Bengaluru said, “Air pollution and environmental concerns can impact our mental health directly or indirectly, directly by triggering autoimmune response, hormonal changes, oxidative stress, hormonal disruptions, and many other mechanisms which increase mental health morbidity, and indirectly by causing mental stress because of increased pollution.”
‘Environmental Helplessness’ Leading To Increased Psychological Distress
Antonios Kalentzis, psychologist and committee member of Political Psychology Section, British Psychological Society, said that prolonged exposure to an uncontrollable stressor such as severe air pollution can activate the body’s hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to chronic stress responses.
“This can exacerbate pre-existing mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. The concept of ‘environmental helplessness’ can also be applied here, where individuals feel powerless against an overwhelming environmental threat, leading to increased psychological distress,” he said.
Kalentzis said air pollution impacts mental health through both neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms. “Neurobiologically, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and other pollutants can cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, both of which have been implicated in mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.”
“On a psychosocial level, constant exposure to poor air quality can lead to heightened anxiety, particularly in individuals with health concerns or respiratory issues. Social isolation can also increase, as individuals may avoid outdoor activities, reducing social interaction, which is a protective factor against mental illness. The cumulative effect of these stressors can trigger or worsen psychological conditions,” he added.