• Learn About Colony Collapse Disorder and How to Protect Bees
  • Learn About Pesticides in Foods
  • Weeds Can Be Managed Without Chemical Pesticides
  • Link to SK Organic Resources
  • Grow a Lush Garden Organically
  • Learn To Manage Weeds Without Chemical Pesticides
  • Driving Near Recently Sprayed Fields Exposes People to Pesticides
  • Learn to Manage Pests Naturally
  • Learn to Keep Insects Out of your Crops
  • LIving Near Fields Increases Pesticide Exposure

Mental Health/psychological

see also glyphosate 2 

Mental Health: Pesticides Continue to Impact the Body and Mind, Especially for Farmers  (Beyond Pesticides, January 17, 2024) Science continues to find a link between mental health and occupational (work-related) chemical exposure, with a study published in Toxicology finding an increased risk of depression among farmers exposed to pesticides. Brazil study. 

Glyphosate Exposure Linked to Severe Depression and Cognitive Decline in American Adults (Sustainable Pulse, Aug 29, 2023)    'A new peer-reviewed study, published in the journal Environmental Research, has revealed an astonishingly strong link between severe depression, cognitive decline and exposure to the world’s most used herbicide, glyphosate. The study authors stated, "“Our study used a cohort representative of the U.S. adult general population and found a significant negative correlation between urinary glyphosate levels and cognitive function test scores. Additionally, our findings suggest that the odds of having severe depressive symptoms were significantly higher than having no symptoms in individuals with higher glyphosate levels, as measured by the PHQ-9."    Industry has not conducted any long-term neurotoxicity studies on Roundup, the substance that people and animals are actually exposed to. Some other recent independent studies however suggest that both glyphosate alone and glyphosate-based herbicides such as Roundup are neurotoxins.   A toxicological study on rats found that glyphosate depleted the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.'   original article 

Household Pesticide Exposure Associated with the Risk of Developing Depression Symptoms  (Beyond Pesticides, June 18, 2020)     'This research highlights the significance of researching potential mental health effects resulting from pesticide exposure, especially as society tends to rank mental health risks second to physical health. The study’s scientists note, “Our results highlight the importance of the cautious use of household pesticides because the chronic effects of poisoning may contribute to an elevated risk of depression.”    However, stratified analysis ascertains that participants with light RPA (recreational physical activity/exercise) have a 50% greater risk of developing depressive symptoms upon household pesticide exposure. Upon investigating pesticide metabolites, researchers significantly associate the presence of o-phenyl phenol with a higher risk of depressive symptoms.    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression affects 322 million people globally, with the number of diagnosed patients increasing by 18.4% from 2005 to 2015. Although the etiology of depression—and many other psychiatric disorders—is often genetic, studies suggest that other etiological factors, like pesticide exposure, play a role in depression incidents.    Exposure to agricultural pesticides puts farmers at six times greater risk of exhibiting depressive symptoms, including chronic anxiety, irritability, restlessness, and sadness. Specifically, exposure to organochlorines and fumigants (gaseous pesticides) heighten an individual’s risk of depression by 90% and 80%, respectively.'

Herbicides Linked to Depression Among Farmers (Beyond Pesticides, August, 2, 2013)  Farmers using herbicides are nearly two and a half times as likely to be treated for depression as those who did not use herbicides.

Neuropsychological Functioning and Health-related Symptoms in a Commercial Pesticide Applicator During Low and High Exposure and Follow-up Testing. CrossleyM, Semchuk KM et al. Prairie Ecosystem Study.. Environmental Pesticide Exposure Human Health. Saskatoon. Fourth international symposium"rural health and safety in a changing world".October 18-22 1998, Chemicals Exposure, Toxicology and Human Health - presentation O 23.After exposure, SP performed below the expected range on tests of sensation, memory, and verbal fluency and reported relatively high levels of emotional and health – related symptoms.