MAYA ROSE FERNANDES
A few friends of mine in Goa, who know that I also work on global climate change policy, vent to me about the state of the world, whenever their anxiety about it reaches a state of overwhelm.
It’s always a good time to talk about mental health awareness, and I thought now would be as good a time as any to talk about climate anxiety.
What’s that? You haven’t heard of it before? Well, you’re long overdue for a wake-up call, then.
Climate anxiety is what has been affecting the mental health of many people, including many Goans, due to the global population’s increasing awareness of the harsh realities of the climate crisis we are facing, and its devastating impacts.
We have been overwhelmed by the scale of environmental degradation caused by climate change to the point where we are being individually and collectively affected by the lack of certainty in our future.
This psychological response, to our growing awareness of the severe impacts of climate change, is characterised by intense feelings of fear, helplessness and hopelessness about the future of humanity and our planet.
This psychological response, to our growing awareness of the severe impacts of climate change, is characterised by intense feelings of fear, helplessness and hopelessness about the future of humanity and our planet.
The mental health toll of climate anxiety is no joke.
Climate-aware therapists are being trained in how to handle climate depression, and suicide prevention, caused by eco-grief, preoccupation with climate-related news and physical symptoms such as insomnia or loss of appetite, thanks to the mounting scale of worry about the state of the world.
A 2021 global study published statistics in the scientific journal The Lancet Planetary Health, stating that 59% of 16- to 25-year-olds said that they were very or extremely worried about climate change.
And, more than 45% said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning.
A 2021 global study published statistics in the scientific journal The Lancet Planetary Health, stating that 59% of 16- to 25-year-olds said that they were very or extremely worried about climate change.
In addition, historically marginalised communities, like low income, indigenous, tribal or underprivileged caste groups, are disproportionately affected as they often lack the resources and support to cope with environmental threats.
Some psychologists and therapists say that this anxiety is a healthy response to a real threat, and the best cure for it is climate action.
But, as with other mental health issues, when it becomes overwhelming, climate-aware therapists advise people to reach out to others for support and help, and to develop strategies to manage their anxiety in a healthy way.
Some ways of coping are:
Staying informed about climate issues, but setting limits on consuming distressing or overwhelming volumes of related content.
Taking action, no matter how big or small, to counter the powerlessness one may feel, whether this is taking part in community recycling efforts, getting involved in reforestation activities or advocating for structural policy change.
Finding your tribe can help you connect with like-minded souls who care about the ecosystem as much as you do.
Practicing mindfulness in natural surroundings, like doing physical grounding exercises, for example, can help alleviate your distress and empower you as you develop a closer relationship with nature.
Whatever ways you choose to tackle climate anxiety, dismissing the reality of the climate crisis and ignoring your own, or someone else’s growing anxiety around their feelings of safety with respect to the world, will not help you.
Instead, aim to educate yourself about the key issues surrounding the crisis and step up to take some action and counter any powerlessness you may feel.
At the very least, modelling this kind of behaviour to others might encourage them and provide much-needed hope where it was running low before.