Sustainable psychiatric care
We have several projects ongoing examining the interplay between psychiatry and topics like climate change and sustainability. One of our projects aims to decipher and reduce the concentrations of psychotropic medications in surface water. Another project, in progress, aims to examine associations between weather conditions and non-voluntary admissions. Yet other projects are more conceptual, aiming to better conceptualize the intricate bidirectional relationships between psychiatry and climate change, e.g. about what psychiatrists can do to mitigate climate change internationally and in The Netherlands.
As the president of the Dutch National Society of Psychiatry Green Psychiatry committee, with my fellow members we strive to reduce the footprint of the Society, the conferences it holds and of psychiatrists in everyday practice.
I've also started writing a book on Planetary Health, with Evelyn Brakema and Diederik Gommers, that will hopefully inspire people to help reduce the footprint of healthcare.