ECO-ANXIETY

Do you have it and what to do about it?

With the climate crisis forever worsening, we are being urged to make a difference before it’s too late. However, when governmental leaders are ignoring the ‘final warnings’ from scientists about the climate crisis, it can often feel like we are going backwards rather than forwards. This results in anxieties about our future. If thinking about climate change and the state of our environment invokes any feelings of anxiety or sadness, you may have eco-anxiety.

Symptoms of Eco-Anxiety

One of the main symptoms of Eco-Anxiety is having an increased sense of hopelessness for the future of the planet and its environment.

Other potential symptoms include: fatalistic thinking, existential dread, feelings of panic, grief, depression and sadness. It can also affect individuals physically, contributing to sleep problems and appetite changes.

Our news and social media feeds can be flooded with climate crisis updates, as people around the world are feeling the drastic physical effects of climate change. Experts now recognise the increasing impact eco-anxiety is having on individuals and communities.

Is this Normal?

Many of us may feel guilty if we’re not doing enough or enacting meaningful changes in our lives, or maybe feel powerless to bring about significant change.

However, if you are feeling like this, this is completely rational and many others may feel the same. In a recent study by Force of Nature, they found “over 70% of young people feel hopeless in the face of the climate crisis and 56% believe humanity is doomed.” Alongside this, “60% of young individuals attributed these feelings to their national governments.”

Naturally, we are going to feel like this because when anxiety arises in our body, it will perceive any threat with a fight-orflight response. Climate change is a real threat. There should be increased motivation for humankind to be more proactive in finding solutions.

Sacha Wright, the Research and Curriculum Coordinator at Force of Nature, argues that these feelings of discomfort are the way forward in taking sustainable action. She points out that despite the rapidly shrinking timeframe and our feelings of powerlessness, our increasing fear of what’s happening to our planet is one of ‘“our greatest tools for mobilising mindsets to tackle climate change.”

Dealing with Eco-Anxiety Conversations about the environment can be stressful, but we should not bury our feelings. By bottling our anxieties, it will not prevent these feelings, but instead worsen them later down the line. It is important we are open about our feelings, community discussion can help us feel heard, as well as break down any shame or stigma around engagement with environmentalism.

It is okay to have feelings. Embrace them!

Furthermore, you are not solely responsible for climate change nor are you expected to find the solution alone. We need to work as a team. However, by harnessing personal concern for the environment, you can start to make contributions by signing petitions, reducing your carbon footprint, joining protests or even trying to get your voice heard by those in power. Eco-anxiety can become eco-action, we must change our mindset.