North Luzon Monitor

North Luzon

Mental Health and the Weather

Myra G. Gahid, RPsy, RPM
Latest posts by Myra G. Gahid, RPsy, RPM (see all)

I am proud of my home, Baguio City. Aside from how this is a good conversation starter, I am proud that most people I encounter have positive comments and stories about Baguio. While some people have been in the city multiple times, some still openly share their wishes and hopes about visiting the country’s Summer Capital. Despite the list of reasons of people love Baguio (or fall in love with the idea of being or staying in Baguio), the city’s cool weather tops the list.

While I usually smile when people express their envy that I experienced colder weather for most of my life, remembering the weeks months ago makes me speechless.

I never imagined I’d ever wish to own an air conditioner while living in Baguio City.

My home city was not spared from increased heat indexes. While the locals did their best to continue their usual routines, we shared a common sentiment, “Ang init na sa Baguio! (It’s already hot in Baguio!)”  Aside from hearing this often comment, it also surprised me to see the change in people’s fashion choices. The usual curious and sometimes curious glances towards people wearing sleeveless, crop or tube tops, short shorts, and combinations thereof were less prominent. Sure, there were still people who wear denim (and sometimes, even denim jeans and denim jackets!) and boots, but there’s a significant decline in the number of people donning such outfits along Session Road. I’m certain that the weather not only affected our fashion choices, so here’s a list of things I noticed that the change in weather affected:

  1. Changes in temperament

The temperature change contributed to a change in my overall mood. I noticed that I’ve become more impatient and irritable while doing errands. I also rescheduled some tasks, especially if these entailed going somewhere between 11 AM and 2 PM. Rescheduling allowed me to lessen the tendency for my productivity to be affected in case I feel frustrated or annoyed by distractions including my comments about the weather.

 

  1. More discussions about the environment in social media

As I scroll through social media, I can’t help but be curious about the comment sections of posts related to protecting the environment, especially the blame game about who is most responsible for the challenges the collective is experiencing due to the high heat indexes. Is it just the government’s concern? Could we, as individuals, do something to pause or hopefully stop the current situation? It’s a difficult pill to swallow, but everyone has contributed to what we’re experiencing now. Consequently, it will also take everyone’s cooperation and mindfulness to combat this pressing issue.

 

  1. More talk, but seemingly less action

Although there are more online discussions about how trees are important, there seemed to be less noticeable feedback and intervention to solve or support groups that advocate potential solutions. Maybe things are easier said than done… but when will we walk our talk?

While this article is a bit overdue, I am still curious if more people notice that the changes in our environment also affect the changes in our mental health. As we explore and practice better individual coping strategies, may we also participate in initiatives that protect the environment.

Do you have a question about mental health or psychology? Email northluzonmonitor@gmail.com and your question might be discussed in the next article. 

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