Dr. Lise Van Sustern – Forensic Psychiatrist: New Study Details Psychological Impacts of Climate Change

This interview was recorded in March of this year and broadcast to my listeners in New York City and Sacramento. As you know, I live in New York City and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, I thought it was important to share it with you. Today's conversation is all about Global Warming and the emotional and psychological impact of natural disasters that psychiatrists believe cannot be overlooked. Please continue to pray for the people in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut who have lost family members, homes and communities, who are without many of the necessities that we take for granted. This week on TALK! with AUDREY: Forensic Psychiatrist,DR. LISE VAN SUSTERN joins me to talk about the psychological effects of Global Warming. A team of psychiatrists is warning in a new study a climate that is likely to be unstable will cost the U.S. dearly in health costs and overwhelm the mental health system, adding significant costs to the already $317 billion in annual mental health care expenditures and lost productivity in the U.S. the report says. If climate change is not curtailed, extreme weather conditions like flooding, drought and sea level rise will steeply increase the incidence of mental and social disorders. As a result, 220 million people, are likely to experience direct adverse effects, including psychological distress from climate-related events, especially vulnerable are children, the elderly and the 60 million people with pre-existing mental health conditions.