Essays on the Economics of Mental Health: Unemployment, Globalisation, and Climate Change

When we think about mental health, we often focus on a person's genetics or immediate personal stress. However, our psychological well-being is also deeply sculpted by massive, systemic forces ranging from local economic shifts to global transformations. This dissertation examines how three of the defining socio-economic and environmental challenges of our era — unemployment, globalisation, and climate change — directly impact human mental health across diverse contexts.

The research is structured into three core investigations. First, by analyzing local communities in Finland from 2002 to 2019, the study reveals that rising local unemployment rates cause severe declines in mental well-being. This economic distress drives a measurable surge in antidepressant use and psychiatric care, hitting working-age, mid-life men the hardest. Second, by evaluating economic integration on a worldwide scale, the study uncovers a distinct U-shaped relationship. Moderate global connection benefits mental well-being, but extreme isolation or hyper-exposure to global market volatility triggers profound job insecurity and social stress, damaging population health. Third, by modeling international datasets, the research establishes that rising temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions actively exacerbate mental health disorders. This ecological strain is most severe in low- and middle-income nations that lack the institutional healthcare infrastructure to adapt.

Collectively, these insights prove that psychological distress is a structural and systemic phenomenon, not just an individual struggle. To safeguard public well-being, governments cannot rely solely on localized therapy or clinical medicine. Instead, we need a holistic policy framework that includes targeted employment programs, equitable trade agreements that protect workers, and aggressive climate adaptation strategies. By addressing these macro-level determinants, we can build a healthier, more resilient society.