Eco-Anxiety & Us
With uncertainty pertaining to the future global state, our outlook on our own lifestyle and current, struggling, ecosystems is heavily influenced by what current political and social climate change efforts look like. When we seemingly have no control over our current atmospheric pollution and decreasing biodiversity, we begin to internalize these tragedies as a result of our own actions and/or relive the burden mother nature carries. Experts have recently coined the term ‘eco-anxiety’ to describe the way climate change and environmental disparities impact our psychological well-being. This is scary, as the severity of the earth’s current state is not only reaching our external environments and somatic living conditions but scientifically proven to impede our mental state along with it. The good news is, that you are not alone. Today we are going to learn more about what eco-anxiety is, its causes and sources of discomfort, how we can combat these feelings of uneasiness, and even channel our nervousness into productive and meaningful environmental advocacy.
What?
The American Psychological Association (APA) denotes eco-anxiety as “the chronic fear of environmental cataclysm that comes from observing the seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change and the associated concern for one's future and that of next generations”. For us, this means as we are increasingly exposed to the devastating impacts our human selfishness is causing, especially through expansive and growing social media platforms, our confidence in the earth’s future and life expectancy is continuously dwindling. And this is harming us emotionally. Past generations have been able to discard climate change reform ambitions because the effects were anticipated to be past their time, and not a problem that harmed their current culture’s well-being directly. Our generation can’t say this. And due to these past ideologies, the visible and direct effects emerged decades later, as opposed to the predicted thousands of years later. We are breathing the effects every day and proper change is seemingly still not in place. So yeah, we are worried, and we are stressed. Sue us! When we are consistently confronted with this do-or-die mantra, we internalize, and translate nature’s discomfort into our own.
Who?
Climate change-influenced mental defects differ in severity depending on the socioeconomic and geographic group. The APA even highlights, “those who have contributed the least to the drivers of climate change are the ones who suffer the most from its effects.” Disadvantaged communities are more likely to be directly affected by waste and pollution, as they do not have the resources or services available to speak out against these tragedies, or the financial support system to switch to energy alternatives and/or not pollute their water, neighborhood, or facilities. It hurts to know that class status still plays a crucial role in our health and safety on this planet — two things that should be guaranteed, not threatened. Groups living amidst natural disasters and the destructive aftermath are also increasingly at risk of developing eco-anxiety or environmental grief. These communities, affected by tropical hurricanes, tornados, floods, and forest fires, view firsthand the planet attacking itself as a result of our excessive disrespect to mother nature. And of course, it's not just those directly impacted by these tragedies, but the fact that they exist, and people are being harmed, is another cause within itself. Dr. Amy Lykins has termed this ideal ‘existential fear,’ she describes this term further — “ [individuals] who may not necessarily have been directly impacted by flooding or had to run for their lives from bushfires but are
aware of what’s going on in the world.”
Specific Impacts
Eco-anxiety manifests in similar ways to other mental health disorders characterized by disillusion, grief, and depression. One might feel a sense of loss to their home environment or anticipated future lifestyle, grieving the planet we could have had. Depressive feelings and behaviors — irritability, lack of motivation, disrupted sleeping and eating habits, and more might emerge. Stress-filled mindsets — constant worrying or nervousness, insomnia, frustration towards those that appear to not care. Others might project these feelings into their relationships with others, influencing tension or weakened friendships. We will often blame those that are unconcerned with climate change, continue to live ‘unsustainably,’ or even be frustrated with the older generations and the mess they left us to clean up for them — that's how it feels.
How to Cope
Thankfully, as funding for mental health research has drastically increased and gained support in recent decades, we have tools, resources, and strategies at our disposal to assist us with overcoming and dealing with these fears. First remind yourself these feelings are normal and possessing concern for the earth’s future is a valuable attribute — you care! Don’t beat yourself up for stress that erupts from being confronted with climate-related disparities, especially when it seems as if you care so much more than the people you are surrounded by. Chances are, they hold similar anxieties to you, and have been waiting for a conversation to ignite.
So start a conversation! Reach out to your family, and friends, and talk to those close to you about how these current environmental tragedies are affecting your lifestyle, too. There is strength in asking for help. And of course, if you don’t feel comfortable sharing your discomfort with your everyday social group members, speak to a counselor specializing in anxiety disorders. Some professionals even specialize in ecological crisis prevalence in our mental health and can help you manage your worries and formulate personalized strategies for yourself going forward. Dr. Cindy Gorden offers a free 20-minute consultation regarding eco-anxiety and climate grief, speak with her or other therapists you feel could address these skills more deliberately.
Another vital step to greatly minimize our increased stress and exposure to environmental burdens is reducing your media consumption. We all need to be aware of what's happening in the world, yes, but constantly scrolling through tragedy after tragedy is not a healthy way to inform oneself about current events, does not help anyone, and quickly inspires guilt and depressive attitudes. Instead, choose a single news source you find reputable, as well as a climate-related organization that works exclusively to raise awareness on environmental discernments. Don’t fill your social media to the brim with devastations, set your own limits, and hold yourself accountable for your own scrolling habits, and if needed, even set screen time limits. Identify when you're mindlessly tapping down the rabbit hole and pull yourself out. You will quickly start to realize that the weight of the world does not fall on your shoulders, and there is more to life than attempting to fix the most irreversible problems. As you continue to regulate your social media usage you will find the world appearing much brighter. By limiting news consumption you are not ignoring critical events or underlooking climate crises— you are prioritizing your mental well-being over events you have little control over; you are allowed to protect the happiness of your mind and your body over that of the planet.
And of course, purposefully connect with nature. Form a relationship with your neighborhood flower garden and backyard grass. Read amongst the bees and the butterflies, take walks regardless of the weather, make friends with a tree, try growing your own avocados, and feed wildlife!
Capture mother nature’s beauties and unfaltering ability to support our humanhood despite our past and consistent damage and mistakes. Allow nature to forgive you, too.
Channeling Our Emotions
Resentment, anger, sadness, despair — all of these seemingly ‘negative’ emotions are roaming our minds and spirits. But we can use this. Using these feelings, create change yourself. Channel your anger into productive advocacy — restlessly protest, pressure politicians that claim to make change but never do, or start a foundation of your own dedicated to inspiring change and promoting clean energy variations. You have a voice, don’t suffocate your stress with talk therapies when you have an idea and the motivation to make something of it. Apply this frustration, utilizing it as leverage for real, positive change. Some environmental organizations that need representation and involvement, and are filled with individuals as passionate for change as you are, include the Extinction Rebellion, People’s Climate Movement, and Greenpeace USA. Get active today and turn your anxieties into something beneficial for the planet and yourself — win-win.
It is also important to consider making appropriate and attainable lifestyle changes. If you are frustrated with or nervous about your own carbon impact, consider making changes that will help you live cleaner and ‘greener.’ Whether this means for you cutting down your meat or animal byproduct consumption, completely eradicating your use of disposable plastics, installing solar panels or wind-powered instruments, or even volunteering once a month to pick up trash dispersed at your local parks. You are truly capable of altering any part of your routine and incorporating sustainability efforts throughout. But make sure these efforts are accessible to you. Do not kill yourself by attempting to reverse the effects of the millions of years preceding you. Doing your part will greatly reduce your own stress and inspire those in your community to make similar choices.
I hope this advice provides clarity and reassurance to your current guilts or anxieties. Every organism is struggling to adapt to this unclean and polluted climate. We are allowed to navigate at our own pace and extend help when we are able.
Stay on the green side of life :)
