On the 14^th of July 1798, heads rolled in the streets of Paris as the Bastille was stormed; and on the 14^th of July 1999, I was born – two equally significant events! The spirit of rebellion and a drive for freedom percolates through every fibre of my being, inspiring me to push back against any threats to freedom I see! And, as a good-looking, straight, cis man, my freedom is, of course, threatened constantly. Granted, I have way more freedom than anyone who is anything other than a good-looking, straight, cis man… but I still have something to say about the fight for freedom! So, if you’ll permit me, dear reader, let’s talk about freedom! And rebellion…

There’s a famous quote by French philosopher Albert Camus about how “the only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” I’ve not read the book the quote is from – and I believe anyone who says they have is lying, and probably just watched a YouTube video about it – but it is a great quote. Camus has this incredible ability to find triumph in bleak circumstances – to present you with an unfree, volatile world, and show you how just existing can be something awesome. Our world can be incredibly bleak, and it’s easy to get swept away in the seemingly endless slurry of bad news and dizzying discourse that saturates our social media feeds. Camus teaches us that we can’t ignore the state of the world, or downplay society’s issues – instead, we need to acknowledge reality for what it is, and choose rebellion.

So, how do you actually choose rebellion or become as absolutely free as Camus wants you to be? Well, I think you do so by embracing empathy, and love. I know, it’s very clichéd, but maybe it’s a cliché because it’s right! Not everyone shares the same level of freedom, and a lack of freedom often stems from societal apathy, bigotry, and greed – all of which are the antithesis of empathy. By choosing to be an empathetic, caring person in a world that profits off bigotry and sustained apathy, your very existence becomes an act of rebellion. Our world has never been this liberated and accepting of diverse identities before! The struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community, people of colour, and differently abled people have never before been acknowledged at the levels they are today. It feels like people are starting to take notice and speak up against these inequities – and that should be celebrated! But we can’t ignore the fact that the freedom these communities have earned – the freedom they are currently fighting for – is still under threat.

At this point in the blog, you’re probably wondering how I’m so young yet so wise. The truth is, I got really lucky in the parent department. Both of my parents embody the values of love, empathy and freedom perfectly. My father’s charity, Waja Ka Meno, provides free oral and optometric care to differently abled children and adults in South Africa, and my mother… where do I even start? There does not exist a more caring lady than my mother! I know you probably think your mother is better or more caring, but you’re wrong, and that’s okay. Growing up, my parents stressed the importance of actively practicing empathy, encouraging me to get involved in food drives and volunteer work – and I will always be grateful for that. Because of them, I’m not just a good-looking, straight, cis man… because of them, I’m a good-looking, charitable, straight, cis man!

It’s scary how persistent hate is. It’s scary how easily our culture can regress. We can’t ignore the reality of the situation, but we can fight to change it. It’s our responsibility to fight to change it – a responsibility born out of our shared humanity. It’s what Camus would have wanted… at least I think it is; I don’t know, I’ve not read his books. I just watched a YouTube video about him.

Is it just me, or does this heat make you want to commit violent crimes?

I know that’s a strange way to start a blog, but I can explain! You see, research has proven that there’s a correlation between increased temperatures and incidence of violent crimes. Some people take the phrase “sun’s out, guns out” too literally. What’s fascinating is that this is only one of the ways which weather can influence your behaviour! If recent research is correct, climatic variables such as temperature, sunshine, and rainfall may exert an important influence on mental health. Today I would like to explore this potential impact with you, dear reader. Who knows, maybe it will distract you long enough to keep you out of jail…  

Firstly, it’s important to note that mental health is complex, and mental health conditions are likely influenced by many factors… which is exactly why we need research on this topic! The more we know about mental health and its risk factors, the better we can address it.

Seasonal Depression is the most well-known example of the link between climate and mental health, and is a condition wherein decreases in sunshine exposure during the winter months can cause a vitamin D deficiency, affecting serotonin and dopamine production in the brain, leading to depressive episodes. Seasonal depression is more prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere, where cold, grey winters may cause melatonin dysfunction, which can disrupt an individual’s sleep cycle. Sunlight exposure – which precipitates the production of vitamin D in the body – is thought to have a mostly positive effect on mental health, acting as a natural antidepressant. This has led to the development of light therapy, which has been used to treat depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia by counteracting the vitamin deficiency that potentially underlies all these conditions.

However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows (I found no research suggesting that rainbows impact mental health in any way, sadly). Some research suggests that the amount of sunlight that a pregnant person is exposed to may impact the likelihood that their child will develop a mental health condition later in life… which is fascinating! It’s believed that the impact of sunlight on both an individual’s circadian rhythm – in this case, the foetus’s circadian rhythm – and vitamin D levels may leave individuals more vulnerable to developing schizophrenia or bipolar disorder later in life! More research is needed on this topic, but it’s worth  keeping an eye on! 

Temperature, like sunlight, may also affect mental health through circadian dysfunction. Unlike sunlight, however, increased temperature is believed to have a predominantly negative effect on mental health. As was already mentioned, hotter temperatures lead to increases in violent crimes, as high temperatures cause discomfort and irritation, and encourage outdoor activities which lead to interaction with other people… which has also been known to cause discomfort and irritation for some. Beyond that, higher temperatures are believed to worsen symptoms of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and generalised anxiety disorder. Research suggests that increased temperatures negatively impact quality and quantity of sleep, and cause dysfunctions in the production of dopamine and serotonin – greatly worsening one’s moods. Conversely, there is some research which posits that high temperature exert a positive impact on depression, while lower temperatures worsen depressive symptoms!   

For my MSc I have been studying healthcare practitioners’ perceptions of the potential relationship between climate and mental health. Most of the existing research on this topic focuses on correlating hospital admissions to climatic conditions, and none of it has considered the experiences and perceptions of healthcare practitioners – experts whose knowledge and experience in the field, treating patients, may provide them with a unique, informed perspective on this potential relationship. Are healthcare practitioners even aware that this relationship may exist? Have they noticed a climatic influence on their patients’ conditions? If so, how do they react and attempt to manage this influence? All of these questions may give us better insight into the relationship between climate and mental health – a relationship, the importance of which, we are only beginning to understand…

Thanks for reading, I wish you lots of sunny days!

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