Shift # 2 : Climate Change
Shift # 4 : Race-Based Stress
Shift # 3 : Political Unrest
HIGHLIGHTS FROM AMHCA ’ S 2023 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Shift # 2 : Climate Change
continued from page 11
By now , many of us have come to accept that there is a reason behind the strange weather patterns that we ’ ve been experiencing . We also know that there is a strong link between natural disasters and mental disorders . Weather changes may cause cyclic pathological phenomena , such as seasonal affect disorders , and psychophysical conditions . These conditions include mood disturbances , irritability , anxiety , mental and physical weakness , hypertension , headache , hyperalgesia , and autonomic symptoms . The impact of climate change on individuals ’ mental health can occur directly , having immediate affects , or indirectly in the short term .
A topic that is gaining traction among mental health professionals is environmental racism . African Americans and Latinos are exposed to more air pollution than Whites , causing disproportionate rates of asthma , heart and lung disease , and increased mortality , according to the EPA ( see bit . ly / 40A3QDV ).
Additionally , African Americans , Latinos , and low-income families of all ethnicities are 75 percent more likely than others to reside in proximity to facilities that manufacture hazardous waste . A study conducted by researchers from the Harvard T . H . Chan School of Public Health ( 2020 ) showed a connection between death rates from COVID-19 and long-term exposure to air pollution ( see bit . ly / 3QnkBxs ).
How well individuals cope with trauma depends on their social positioning before the onset of traumatic experiences . Thus , low- and no-income people , the elderly , members of culturally marginalized groups , and the mentally or physically impaired are disproportionately affected by traumatic events and experiences because of institutionalized and historical biases in society .
KEYNOTE ADDRESS Five Critical Shifts for LCMHCs
is a persistent stressor ( see bit . ly / 3ucj3if ). It is taking a long-term toll on our social , emotional , and physical health .
This persistent , never-ending stressor is under-investigated , and it is increasingly impacting our ability to serve clients . As a stressor , politics impedes our ability to be resilient and empathic . This chronic stress taxes our ability to cope and respond to challenges and to bounce back from negative stressors . According to a recent study , 87 percent mental health professionals have discussed politics in sessions ( Newport Institute , 2022 , bit . ly / 3u2RQif ). In another survey , 66 percent of respondents saw the nation ’ s future as a significant source of stress . It is important that LCMHCs be aware of this stressor since we are approaching another major election and are likely to see more clients who are impacted by political discord and unrest .
Shift # 4 : Race-Based Stress
As a result of more than a decade of research on race-based stress , we now understand that race-based stress should be considered an adverse childhood experience ( ACE ). Position statements are now seen on the websites of the American Public Health Association , the American Medical Association ( AMA ), and the U . S . Senate . The city of Seattle has declared that racism is a public health crisis .
The relationship between chronic or traumatic stress and cultural marginalization can be seen in the lack of access to institutional resources and lack of power to control those institutions . This creates a cycle of sociocultural abuse that threatens the psyche of culturally marginalized individuals . LCMHCs need to become knowledgeable about theories that help us to better understand ecosystemic factors that influence the presentation of symptomology among our clients .
Shift # 3 : Political Unrest
To be certain , we are living in uncertain times . Approximately 40 percent of the U . S . population identified politics as a major source of stress in their lives , and approximately 5 percent have considered suicide in response to political developments ( see bit . ly / 3u2RQif ). Moreover , young adults seem to be most affected by political beliefs of people . Without a doubt , politics
Traumatic stress theory is a useful framework to better understand race-based stress . Traumatic stress theory differs from traditional views of trauma in four ways :
• First , it acknowledges that the environment in which our clients live is pathological . Yes , racism is pathological .
• Second , it focuses on the present and future traumatic events rather than those in the past .
• Third , it observes the trauma as unpredictable and sudden . continued on page 13
12 The Advocate Magazine 2023 , Issue # 2 American Mental Health Counselors Association ( AMHCA ) www . amhca . org