Having allergies? Or sudden blocked nose or sneezing?
Hearing these symptoms, we can easily detect a problem with our lungs or blood. Breathing Dhaka’s toxic air has made it more obvious to us. But do you know that we can also face depression through polluted air?
Yes….yes… You’ve heard it right!
Take a moment to picture yourself wandering around the streets of Dhaka on a chilly winter’s morning. The city is blanketed in grey smog, which lingers in the atmosphere. The buildings are bathed in drab light as the sun struggles to shine through. This is an indication of a public health emergency, not merely an unpleasant sight.
As many of us already know, Dhaka has some of the worst air quality in the world, often placed among the top cities with hazardous pollution levels, according to the “State of Global Air 2024” report. Dhaka’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 291 on one morning, which is considered “very unhealthy.”
How do we measure this pollution?
Particulate matter (PM), metals, gases, and chemical compounds are just a few of the many contaminants that are included in air pollution. Most of the negative effects of air pollution on physical and mental health are caused by the effects of PM on the body and brain.
PM is present in the atmosphere as a result of both natural and human activity. PM, which is mostly produced by the burning of fossil fuels (such as from automobile exhaust), industrial processes, and extensive agricultural operations, is carried by wind-blown dust and wildfires. This explains why PM is so prevalent in Dhaka.
Health Effects of Air Pollution
For many years, Dhaka has frequently been listed as one of the most polluted cities in the world. Particulate matter 2.5, or PM2.5, which is made up of particles that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller, is of particular concern.
Anxiety, sadness, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder are just a few of the detrimental impacts of air pollution on mental health. According to a recent World Bank assessment, air pollution is directly responsible for 20% of Bangladesh’s premature mortality.
This decrease in life expectancy can reach 8.1 years in some of the most polluted areas of Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Gazipur.
But how does air pollution affect us mentally?
According to studies, PM2.5 particles can build up deep inside the lungs, enter the bloodstream, and end up in important organs. These air pollutants have the potential to cause blood vessel inflammation and harm to the blood-brain barrier, a fragile membrane that shields the brain from harmful substances.
Notably, a 20% increase in the risk of developing depression is linked to simply a 1% increase in PM2.5 exposure beyond the WHO recommendation.
The literature on the mental health of Bangladeshi children from 1998 to 2004 was systematically reviewed by a group of researchers at the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddrb).
The health of our children, the future of Dhaka
The physiological development of children’s brains, lungs, and other organs continues until puberty, making them more susceptible to the impacts of air pollution than adults. After birth, 80% of the lung’s alveoli—tiny air sacs essential for breathing—form, and the lung continues to alter into adolescence.
The estimated prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in Bangladesh ranges from 0.2% to 0.8%, whereas the incidence of mental disorders ranges from 13.4% to 22.9%. These figures are alarming, particularly considering how the nation’s healthcare system disregards mental health.
The future generation will suffer from physical and mental illnesses as a result of our disregard for air pollution.
Clean air is essential for survival, isn’t it? Those who infringe upon this privilege ought to face the consequences.
Nonetheless, there is cause for hope. According to 2023 World Bank research, Bangladesh has so far authorized Air Pollution Control Rules and taken other steps to improve air quality management.
Hoping for a better future together!
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Writer
Mafroha Somiya,
Intern, Content Writing Department
YSSE