Managing Eco-Anxiety & Climate Grief
By Erinn Williams, LCPC
As humans, our brains are wired to experience fear and anxiety. It’s natural to feel scared, discouraged, helpless and even angry when we feel a loss of control - and that includes facing environmental issues.
When we turn on the TV or scroll through social media, it’s commonplace for us to see or hear some form of coverage on the environment, climate change or natural disasters. This can be scary stuff for anyone to process - especially for individuals trying to manage eco-anxiety or climate grief.
People that suffer from eco-anxiety have a fear of environmental damage or ecological disaster. It’s largely based on the current and predicted future state of the planet and human-induced climate change. This can directly affect one’s mental health and the lack of control that accompanies it can cause debilitating anxiety, depression, PTSD, reduced feelings of control and substance abuse (to name a few).
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recognizes climate change as a growing threat to mental health. For someone suffering from eco-anxiety or climate grief, it can be tough to find a balance between respecting the earth and making it a better place, while also practicing self-care and taking control of their own mental health. This can make it difficult to accomplish tasks and even have a negative impact on the way some people face the future.
Here are a few tips to help tackle eco-anxiety and climate grief.
VALIDATION
Anxiety happens when our body reacts to perceived threats with a fight or flight survival instinct. We often think of these threats as irrational fears or things that are highly unlikely to occur (like dying from a spider bite or getting struck by lightning). The difference here is that eco-threats are actually happening. These threats might seem far away or even immediate, but the effect on our mental health is still very present. It’s 100% reasonable to be scared of changes in the weather or the destruction of human and animal habitats as a result of the environment and the people that live here. But, you can try to limit the overwhelming or debilitating feelings you are experiencing.
There are many emotional, behavioral and cognitive strategies to help cope. One part of managing your own eco-anxiety is to validate it! When we acknowledge our eco-anxiety (or any anxiety/grief for that matter), it can help make sense of where these anxious and distressed feelings are coming from - instead of just trying to jump into accepting them and moving on.
PRESS PAUSE
If you are feeling powerless and overwhelmed about the ecological crisis, it’s okay to disconnect! Eco-anxiety can be triggered by media stories on environmental and climate crises or even by the human efforts to tackle them. Try not to doom-scroll, but disengage from media coverage or other negative ecological exposure to give yourself a much-needed break.
By taking mental breaks, it gives us time to restore a sense of balance. You can even focus on a few environmental issues vs the climate crisis in its entirety.
EXPLORE TANGIBLE LIFESTYLE CHANGES
Research shows that many people are anxious about how their personal behaviors impact the earth - such as the products they buy, the food they consume or forms of transportation they use to get from point A to B. Sometimes, this extreme state of worry makes it hard to think about anything else and that's okay!
Try focusing on the present environment and what you can change at THIS moment. Make a list of the things that you have control over and take actionable steps towards positive change. While eco-anxiety can influence feelings of helplessness, you can still explore personal lifestyle changes that can help the environment and your mental health.
Most of us understand that things like climate change can affect society’s health via pollution, disease or a lack of food. It’s a global concern but also a personal one. Everyone is connected to the planet whether they want to admit it or not. So, what can you do? Start off focusing on small and easy things that can make an impact.
Make an effort to cut down on your consumption! As kids, many of us learned: Reduce, reuse and recycle! Before purchasing something, try asking yourself if you really need it - is there another sustainable option out there? You can also make an effort to reuse things! Grocery bags from the store, refillable water bottles. Starting a garden or compost at home is another great way to improve your carbon footprint.
YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
When we focus on the extremes, panic can overtake us - it’s a natural, instinctive reaction to a threat. Instead, try focusing on this: you are part of the solution, rather than the bigger problem! No matter how small you think your contribution to the environment is, it’s still that - a contribution! You are making a difference.
Just remember, you can always find ways to cope with the effects of eco-anxiety and climate grief. Harness that knowledge and power to find new solutions for the environment and your own well-being.