The planet is undergoing rapid and unprecedented climate change that is creating stress and mental anguish for people around the world.

Wildfires, floods, hurricanes, drought, extreme heat, the emergence of new diseases in new places: The planet is undergoing rapid changes that are unprecedented in human history. And as psychologists are increasingly aware, these changes can bring about great stress and mental anguish to all of us living through these challenging times.

“Climate change issues have a significant mental health impact,” says Nancy Piotrowski, PhD. In California, where she lives, weather patterns are being suddenly and drastically disrupted, as the region’s devastating wildfires have shown too clearly. As a consequence of these and other environmental changes, people around the world are learning to live with troubling new stressors such as power outages, water shortages, poor air quality, emergency evacuations, and more. Read more at the Monitor on Psychology (online and in print).