People living in Groningen’s earthquake-prone areas show higher rates of anxiety and depression, researchers at UMCG and the University of Groningen report. They say their findings demonstrate a connection between gas-induced earthquakes and the rise in mental health issues.

The researchers combined data from Lifelines, a long-term health study of 167,000 participants in northern Netherlands, with records of earthquakes from 1986 to 2021. “The earthquakes significantly contribute to rising anxiety and depression and clearly affect the mental health of residents in northern Netherlands,” they stated.

Even though gas extraction has ceased, the psychological impact can linger. “The area is tightly knit socially,” researcher Jochen Mierau explains. “When many people experience depression or anxiety, it reverberates through families, workplaces, and community activities.”

The researchers estimate tens of thousands of extra cases of low mood, loss of interest, concentration difficulties, restlessness, and stress. The more earthquakes someone has lived through, the more symptoms they report. “Our study demonstrates that frequent minor earthquakes, even without physical harm, can have a lasting effect on mental health,” Mierau explains.

Since 2006, participants from northern Netherlands have taken part in the Lifelines study by regularly completing questionnaires on their health, lifestyle, and living conditions. Every five years, they also receive physical check-ups from nurses at the UMCG academic hospital.