EXTREME SUMMER HEAT & MENTAL HEALTH: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Summertime is a time for smiles for many. Still, the current extremely high temperatures and humidity can be challenging for those who experience mental illness or poor mental health.
The Heart of Texas Behavioral Health Network (HOTBHN) wants the people of our six-county service area (the Central Texas Counties of McLennan, Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Limestone, and Hill) — and people globally to know how the intense summer heat can hamper mental health and exacerbate mental illness.
From psychiatry.com: “Extreme heat has been associated with a range of mental health impacts in research over many years, including increases in irritability and symptoms of depression and with an increase in suicide. It can also affect behavior, contributing to increased aggression, the incidence of domestic violence, and increased use of alcohol or other substances to cope with stress.
“Research has also linked high temperatures to problems with memory, attention, and reaction time. Sleep difficulties associated with extreme heat can contribute to and further exacerbate mental health symptoms.”
HOTBHN is honored to serve as the Local Mental Health Authority (LMHA) and Local Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Authority (LIDDA)for our six-county region and as the leading resource for community education to create better mental health and lives. For complete information on our programs, affiliates, and agency opportunities, visit our website at www.hotbhn.org and our YouTube channel (please subscribe).
Contact:
Tanya Ledesma,
Public Information Coordinator
Cell: (254) 640-5229
