Climate disasters cause surge in mental health disorders in a Sundarbans block

The residents of Gosaba, a block in the Sundarbans, are facing an alarming rise in mental health disorders, primarily driven by relentless climate-related disasters, forced migration and chronic malnutrition. This increase in psychiatric issues like depression could strain the local healthcare system, as the community grapples with the aftermath of frequent natural calamities.

Gosaba is part of West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district and 18 villages fall under it. The Sundarbans are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including rising sea levels, cyclones and flooding. 

The local economy, heavily reliant on agriculture, gets repeatedly disrupted, leading to widespread food insecurity and financial instability. The western part of the block faces high poverty levels and limited livelihood opportunities.

These disasters wreak havoc on not just infrastructure but also severely impact the mental well-being of the inhabitants. Displaced from their homes and deprived of their livelihoods, residents often struggle with prolonged periods of stress and anxiety. 

“Depression and panic attacks are common here. We have seen cases of schizophrenia also,” Tusharkanti Haldar, a doctor at a hospital run by the Tagore Society for Rural Development (TSRD), a civil society organisation, told Down To Earth (DTE).

The healthcare professional reported a significant increase in patients with mental health issues in the region, especially following severe weather events. The hospital sees a large number of patients with psychiatric problems as a result of stress, anxiety, a lack of food and financial assistance. 

“We are getting a lot of psychiatric patients after disasters destroy their homes and crops. They take a long time to recover. During that time, they have severe stress,” the doctor explained.

Gosaba sits almost 6 metres from the mean sea level, with the majority of the land lying below the high tide line. As a result, during natural disasters, saline water intrusion, waterlogging and extended inundation are common. 

Tropical cyclones pose a threat to the low-lying western part of the Gosaba Block due to its proximity to the coast. 

Low elevation, high cyclonic activity and resultant storm surges are also causes for concern, according to a 2023 study published in journal Natural Hazards.

The supercyclone Amphan, which hit this region in 2020 and Cyclone Yaas in 2021, caused massive flooding throughout the Sundarbans, robbing residents of their livelihoods.

Cyclones also increase soil salinity, which affects agricultural productivity.  For example, on May 25, 2009, the region was hit by a severe cyclonic storm, Aila, which brought saline water to agricultural land and left many areas fallow.  

Agriculture continues to support 70 per cent of households in Gosaba and surrounding blocks. Cyclones put their livelihoods at risk.

“Every May, we see a couple of cyclones, with some being more devastating than others. Mangrove forests are being cut down to make space for resorts. Tourist footfall is increasing. All of these are making Sundarbans more vulnerable,” Atrayee Chakraborty, deputy chief medical officer of health for South 24 Parganas, told DTE.

Then, there is migration. To make a living, a large number of Gosaba Block residents migrated outside of the city, primarily to metropolitan areas.

“Almost all families have migrant labourers. Job opportunities are scarce in Gosaba. Men go to different states for work. Women are mostly forced to stay at home and manage their households on their own, which causes mental stress,” Haldar said.

The doctor recently treated a patient who complained of a foreign body sensation in his throat. The doctor examined his throat and found no issues. “I gave him medicines and they did not help. I then prescribed an antidepressant and now he tells me he is fine,” he noted.

These issues are not new. A 2008 study published in the journal Environmental Health Insights surveyed close to 17,000 people to examine the extent and impact of human-animal conflicts on the mental health of those affected in two villages in Gosaba block.

Some 111 persons (male 83, female 28) became victims of animal attacks, mainly tigers (82 per cent), crocodiles (10.8 per cent) and sharks (7.2 per cent) in Lahiripur and Satjaleia villages of the block. Of them, 73.9 per cent died. 

Major depressive disorder affected approximately 14.6 per cent of the residents, followed by somatoform pain disorder (14 per cent), animal attack-related post-traumatic stress disorder (9.6 per cent) and adjustment disorder (9 per cent). Some 11 per cent of the cases attempted to harm themselves deliberately. 

Somatoform pain disorder is a chronic pain whose cause cannot be determined and adjustment disorders are excessive reactions to stress.

Following the 2009 Aila cyclone, a significant increase in the number of mental health patients was observed. Agrees Chowdhury, who treats Sundarban islanders at weekly healthcare facilities organised by various non-profits, previously told DTE that approximately 30 per cent of the population suffered from illnesses ranging from insomnia to acute depression.

Anti-anxiety drugs like alprazolam, a popular antidote to insomnia, have become household names in the islands, Chowdhury added. 

Kedar Banerjee, a psychiatrist from Kolkata, who holds monthly camps at TSRD-run healthcare facilities in the Sundarbans, also previously told DTE that psychological disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, where patients feel anxiety, choking sensations and fear of an impending doom, have risen in the aftermath of the cyclone Aila.