Climate Anxiety: Why We Feel it and How to Cope With It
- Sami Hoeldtke
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
If you've been feeling down in the dumps regarding the state of the world lately, you aren't alone. While there are many ways to describe the emotions you may be feeling, consider adding climate anxiety to the list. Every day we are bombarded with media about natural disasters, ice sheets disappearing, and pollution taking over cities' health. It's no wonder climate anxiety is coming to the surface; we are watching our world burn. Keep reading to learn more about why we feel this way and learn tips on how to cope with climate anxiety.
What is Climate Anxiety?
Climate anxiety, or eco-anxiety, is the feeling of distress relating to climate change and its impact on the environment and humanity. This is not to be confused with worry; it is a level deeper than that and can include physical symptoms typically associated with anxiety, like shortness of breath, and debilitating thoughts and feelings. While this may seem extreme to some, it is more common than you think. An estimated 10% of Americans are experiencing eco-anxiety. Those with existing anxiety disorders are more likely to be impacted by climate anxiety as well.
To be clear, climate change is not a subject to be taken lightly, but while worry can act as a motivator, anxiety can be debilitating and hinder taking any type of action. In fact, climate anxiety is being explored as a contributing reason as to why, despite the evidence of the disastrous effects of climate change, humanity at large continues to act as if the problem does not exist, when in reality it is a very real, existential threat.
How Do We Feel Climate Anxiety?
At large, there are 2 categories of climate anxiety that are currently observed. The first consists of apocalyptic fears; fears with themes of extinction, devastation, or death, for example. The second type of climate anxiety is focused around loss, grief, and even guilt. This type of climate anxiety can stem from those feelings about "...losses that have already occurred and those that are to come," according to a paper published by Joseph Dodds. This second type of eco-anxiety often involves complex emotions, but can become more manageable when shared.
There are many variations of the aforementioned categories of climate anxiety, and its effects can manifest in various forms of human behavior. Likewise, all major defense mechanisms have been observed in response to the threats of climate change denial, as well as the denial of the losses, responsibility, and dependency humanity has over the environment.
The following is an excerpt from The psychology of climate anxiety that illustrates this point: "All major defence mechanisms62 are clearly visible in relation to climate change, focused on the two emotional threats: denying the reality of climate change (it does not exist, it is a conspiracy), or denying our losses, dependency or responsibility (nature might die but we will be fine; it is caused by other humans or natural causes, the Chinese or the sun, not me).
There are many shades of variation: not only outright denial, but minimising the threat (it will not be that bad, it will happen in the future, or to other species or countries), by finding scapegoats through projection; intellectualisation (taking courses on climate change without allowing emotional responses or behavioural change); idealising charismatic leaders that support denial, repressing and suppressing awareness; reaction formation (denying the reality or the impulse while simultaneously giving expression to its opposite, e.g. those who ‘burn a tire for Earth day’ or participate in ‘coal-rolling’, becoming environmentally destructive to prove to themselves they either do not believe in climate change or do not care, as an attack against perceived group enemies, and a means of evacuating bad internal states); hopelessness (it is too late anyway); apocalypticism (the end of the world is exciting and allows for fantasies of the ‘bad’ being punished for their behaviours, and we can start again and better63 ); or manic defence behaviours, such as seeking distraction through increasing addictive behaviours and consumption,18,19 to avoid thinking about the problem. A certain amount of climate activism is also of a manic reparation type, which can quickly lead to disillusion and burnout if the movement's goals are not quickly met. These are just a few of the responses/defences that climate change evokes, with many reactions comparable with the COVID-19 pandemic."
How to Cope With Climate Anxiety:
It should be acknowledged that to truly cope with climate anxiety, meaningful change needs to occur. Pretending the problem does not exist will not change the fate of the world as we know it, and if anything, will make the problem worse by diminishing any motivating factors to make collective change. It is a real threat and needs to be addressed as such.
While larger humanity needs to make changes, do not be discouraged by the term "collectively." Your life and your actions matter, and while there are larger powers at play, there are plenty of things you can do in your own life to help combat climate change and to stay motivated instead of anxious. Here is a non-exhaustive list of how to cope with climate anxiety to get you started:
Seek Professional Counsel
If you are experiencing debilitating anxiety, seek help from a mental health professional. Taking care of your mental health is imperative, especially in today's day and age. If you are struggling, reach out to a loved one and/or provider for help.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Call 800-273-8255 or Chat with Lifeline
Crisis Textline – Text TALK to 741741
Veterans Crisis Line - Call 800-273-8255 or text 838255
Seek Out Positive Climate Stories
The news often highlights negative stories and scenarios. It is important to be aware of current events, climate-related or not, but it can become overwhelming. Do a quick search for social media accounts, newsletters, websites, etc. that highlight positive climate news and make them a regular part of your feed. There is more than you might think.
Share Your Feelings With Friends
If you are experiencing feelings of climate anxiety, sharing that with others can help ease some of the intensity and validate your feelings. It can also be a good way to connect with others who may be feeling the same way and share your knowledge and experiences. While sharing your feelings and experiences with a friend can be beneficial, it should not replace professional help, but can aid in coping with these things on a day-to-day basis.
Connect With Community Efforts
This piece of advice combines ideas 2 and 3 and offers additional benefits. Do some research about your area and see if there are any volunteer organizations or other climate groups you could get involved with in your community. Feeling like you're a part of something greater, especially something that works towards the greater good, can be a good way to alleviate negative feelings. It can also serve as a reminder that many more positive impacts are going on than the media makes you think, and a great way to meet new people who share your interests.
Make Sustainable Lifestyle Changes
Taking action can help you feel as though you have some autonomy in an otherwise stressful situation. Every meaningful change matters, no matter how small, and that goes for your lifestyle choices as well. Living more sustainably and eco-friendly can give you the confidence that you are making a positive impact and inspire others around you to do so as well. If you aren't sure where to start, check out our post on 10 sustainable habits you can start that cost $0 here.
In Conclusion
Climate change can be a very daunting and scary topic, and is one so often overlooked. Feelings of climate anxiety or eco anxiety are a valid response to the situation at hand, but should not be consuming your life. Seek professional help if the feelings ever become debilitating or if you need some extra support. It is also normal to experience these feelings sporadically, maybe in response to an article you read about a climate-related disaster, for example, and can be coped with on a lesser scale. Hopefully the tips above can help provide you with some relief and inspire you to take action. Ignoring the problem does us no good, so it is important to stay motivated and stay diligent so we can move towards a more sustainable future.
Resources Used For This Article:
Comments