What is eco-anxiety and how can you manage it?
The recent upsurge of environmental disasters has dramatically increased the need to reduce carbon footprint to keep global warming below the 1.5°C threshold. With this issue being incredibly prevalent in people’s minds, the observed lack of global ambition and accountability has in turn severely affected many people’s mental health.
A study from the University of Bath released in September 2021, showed that 45% of global youth is feeling anxious due to climate change. In the UK, a BBC study on 2000 young people showed that 73% of respondents were worried about the future of the planet, and 20% of them even had nightmares about it. Although research has so far only focused on young people, ‘eco-anxiety’ can affect everyone.
What is eco-anxiety?
Eco-anxiety refers to the emotional responses triggered by the current climate crisis, such as anxiety, grief, loss, frustration, depression or guilt. It is not a disease but a natural response to the current climate threat. Examples range from climate activist's Greta Thunberg expressing her eco-anxiety, during Friday's For Future (FFF) climate strikes and in her speeches and interviews, through to the much darker emotional response to eco-anxiety, represented by David Buckel's 2018 self-immolation in New York City as a protest against fossil fuels.
Philosopher Glenn Albrecht was the first to reflect on emotional responses to the environment when in 2005 he coined the descriptor 'Solastalgia', to describe the "pain or sickness caused by loss or inability to derive solace [consolation] from the present [and desolated] state of one’s home environment’. However, the first working definition of eco-anxiety was introduced by the American Psychological Association in 2017 as “a chronic fear of environmental doom”.
Who does eco-anxiety most affect?
Eco-anxiety is most prevalent among those vulnerable to climate change who are not in a position of power to make decisions and drive climate action. This includes the young population who will have to deal with the consequences of it; socio-economically disadvantaged communities who can’t access mental health resources; indigenous communities who are struggling to be heard; farmers or people living in coastal or dry areas whose living depends on environmental conditions, etc.
How can you manage eco-anxiety?
While there is no standard solution for getting rid of eco-anxiety, you may find some relief in some of the following tips, as well as ideas to harness eco-anxiety as a force for positive change for the planet:
Switch from reading climate news to reading climate solutions. Reading about the negative consequences of climate change may lock you into a state of hopelessness and pessimism about the future. Instead, you may find that reading about emerging mitigating solutions can help you have a more optimistic view of the future.
Engage in meditative activities. Have a mindful walk in nature, practise daily meditation, yoga, or engage in any other activity that puts you in a meditative state. This will help you focus on the present moment, instead of any potential future, and manage your emotional responses.
Make a change at your level. Join a community garden, opt for reusable bottles, straws and even menstrual options. Try to consume less, buy local and/or buy second-hand.
Be kind to yourself and don’t compare yourself to others. Acknowledge your efforts and look at your actions as being in the grey area, and not all black or white.
Talk about climate action to your friends and family. This will encourage others to join you in your eco-warrior journey.
Push for a change in your city or country. You can do so by participating in climate protests, signing petitions for climate actions, talking to your local government representative, etc.
Join like-minded people to reduce feelings of alienation or hopelessness in your climate journey. Find them on social media groups, in-person events (e.g. on Eventbrite) or even through a local community app (e.g. Nextdoor).
Find out about what CSR opportunities you can take part in through your employer. Many companies now offer various programmes such as donation matching, payroll giving and volunteering. If your company is not already offering this, you could urge them to do so!
Talk to a therapist if eco-anxiety persists or gets more intense. You may have access to free counselling through your school, university, work or national healthcare system (e.g. NHS in the UK). Otherwise, you can access private counselling in person or online (e.g. BetterHelp).
Lucia Barrera Cano
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