EHN reporter Kristina Marusic recently discussed the mental health impacts of pollution on an episode of “Mad in America,” a podcast about science, psychiatry, and social justice.
Marusic talked about emerging research showing that pollution in air and water can affect our minds and emotions, and that children are especially vulnerable, both while they are young and later in life. It’s a topic she covered in depth in her series, “Pollution’s mental toll,” a collaboration with The Allegheny Front.
“I wasn’t surprised to learn that being worried about pollution or climate change can contribute to anxiety or depression,” Marusic said on the episode. “But I was very surprised to learn that pollution can also cause physical changes to our brains that can impact our mental health.”
Read the transcript or listen to the full interview here.