A friend posted on Facebook stating that she had heard that in an extreme heat alert, people with “psychiatric illness” were more vulnerable than the general population.
She posted her frustration that she could not find the reason why.
So I jumped into action since we have an Environment Canada Heat Advisory in effect for the second day in a row. Today’s warning could mean humidex readings of 40’C in southern Ontario.
Regarding Heat Alerts from the Toronto website, “Once the Medical Officer of Health declares a Heat Alert, notification of key response partners, community agencies and the public is initiated. Hot weather response activities focus on protecting vulnerable groups at increased risk for heat-related illness. Information on the response activities provided by the City and community partners during a Heat Alert is outlined in the City of Toronto Hot Weather Response Plan.
The public is encouraged to visit cooling places, such as libraries, community centres and shopping malls during extremely hot weather. For more information on air-conditioned library/community centre locations.”
I searched around and some numerous sources came up with this answer.
There is a three pronged answer to this question.
First has to do with the general livability and lifestyles of those people who suffer from psychiatric illness, as sadly they tend to not have adequate access to adequate social housing.
This could mean either they are experiencing homelessness during a heat advisory, they live in a shelter or a rooming house or other low income housing options that don’t have the necessary means to provide air conditioning, windows that open or general air circulation to keep the building cool.
Second, certain anti-psychiatric medications exasperate the environmental heat and the body’s ability to cope. Often, people prescribed these medications don’t have a regular doctor looking out for them or an ally in the medical field to explain to them the risks around taking certain medications and their side effects.
For example, some medications such as anticholinergic agents, lithium and tricyclic antidepressants, can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate itself by restricting their natural cooling mechanisms, which can lead to heat stroke.
Other risk factors include the general health of the person suffering from a mental illness which can statistically include obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, poor circulation and general lack of wellbeing.
One of the main things you can do if you are feeling the effects of the heat is to attend one of Toronto’s cooling centres.
Sorry – (but then again a good thing) but there are just too many to cooling centre locations from North, East, South and West Toronto – to list for this post to become unruly, so please:
1: speak to the staff at your shelter or a drop in,
2: you can visit (or have a friend visit) this website
3: call the Toronto helpline for cooling centre location and other cool-down tips at 416-338-7600
4: If you are feeling ill, please do not hesitate calling 911.
Stay well everyone and please check in on those people who are more vunerable! We can make a difference where the government falls short!
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