Experts flag stress on mental health from toxic air, increased risk of ADHD

As Delhi once again grapples with hazardous air quality, mental health professionals are warning that the damage extends far beyond lungs and hearts, exacting a growing toll on cognition, behaviour and emotional well-being — particularly among children.

Citing a growing body of research, doctors and psychologists say prolonged exposure to toxic air is linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, memory impairment and disrupted cognitive development. Long-term exposure, they add, is also associated with increased risks of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Dr Anchal Miglani, a psychiatrist at Emoneeds, said public attention tends to focus on respiratory and cardiovascular illness, while the psychiatric consequences of air pollution remain under-recognised.

“Research increasingly shows a clear association between air pollution and rising cognitive as well as neurotic disorders,” Miglani said, noting that children, older adults and low-income communities are the most vulnerable. Children growing up in polluted environments, she said, show lower IQ levels, memory disturbances and a higher likelihood of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

She added that long-term exposure elevates cortisol levels, disrupts mood regulation and contributes to chronic stress. “Residents of Delhi report 30–40 per cent higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to cities with lower AQI levels. Social isolation, reduced outdoor activity and persistent health anxiety further compound these effects,” she said.

Fiza Khan, a psychologist at Emoneeds, said air pollution is often discussed as a “lung problem”, even though its impact is deeply psychological.

“On days when the sky turns grey and visibility drops, many people feel unusually irritable, restless, low in mood or mentally exhausted. This isn’t imagined,” she said. Studies, Khan noted, link prolonged exposure to high pollution levels with poor concentration, memory problems, sleep disturbances and heightened anxiety.

She explained that pollutants trigger inflammation and stress responses in the body, affecting brain functioning and emotional regulation. At the same time, constant alerts about “bad air days”, school closures and health warnings create a background of chronic stress. “For parents, older adults and people with existing mental health conditions, this can be overwhelming,” she said.

Pollution also reshapes daily behaviour, Khan added. Reduced outdoor activity, cancelled walks and curtailed playtime mean fewer natural mood regulators such as sunlight, physical movement and social connection — changes that can quietly intensify loneliness and low mood over time.

Paediatricians say the consequences for children are especially worrying. Dr Jitender Nagpal, deputy medical superintendent at Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, said Delhi’s children are growing up in one of the most polluted environments in the world.

“The impact goes far beyond the lungs,” he said. “We are increasingly seeing behavioural and learning issues such as attention difficulties, irritability and poor academic performance.” While these challenges have multiple causes, Nagpal said it is reasonable to suspect that chronic air pollution — combined with rising screen exposure — is contributing to the trend.

“Cleaner air and mindful screen habits are not lifestyle preferences. They are public health imperatives to protect the emotional and cognitive well-being of future generations,” he said.

Dr Deepika Dahima, a psychologist at AIIMS Delhi, described Delhi’s air pollution crisis as a mental health emergency as much as an environmental one.

Prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter and toxic gases, she said, correlates with rising anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment and chronic stress. Children show signs of disrupted neural development and learning difficulties, while adults experience emotional fatigue, irritability and impaired decision-making. Vulnerable populations already facing social and economic disadvantage, she added, bear a compounded psychological burden.

“Policy responses continue to focus narrowly on physical illness,” Dahima said. “Effective intervention requires integrating air quality management with mental well-being frameworks — including accessible psychological support, urban green spaces and strict emissions control.”

Protecting mental health, she argued, must become a core metric in evaluating environmental policy. “Clean air is not only about survival. It is essential for cognitive and emotional resilience.”

With PTI inputs