Eco-anxiety Explained: What Is It and How Do We Cope With It?

This week our guest blogger is Marie Jones, who is a freelance writer and a mother of two. A movie fan, nutrition enthusiast, and an avid reader.

Here she has written an article for us with some top tips on how to work through your eco-anxiety. Whether this be for yourself or someone you know, there’s so much to think of in these times of change, it can be overwhelming.

Eco-anxiety can be described as the fear (rational or otherwise) of climate change or large-scale environmental disaster. Whilst this is not likely to be a new phenomenon, the current trend towards eco-activism has doubtless accelerated the number of cases.

According to a survey conducted by Yale University, 70% of people in the United States have concerns about climate change and the impact it may have on not only their lives, but the lives of future generations. A large number of these concerned people have reported that they feel helpless, which further stokes their anxiety.

Although there are many adults who claim to be suffering from eco-anxiety, there are vast numbers of young people and children who have been affected by the condition. This is in part a result of extensive campaigns that have targeted school children, like the school strikes for climate change, but some of this could be passed on by parents and other influential adults.

Compare the statistics for eco-anxiety to those for postpartum anxiety (one of the most common forms of anxiety) and you’ll get a sense of the scale. The reported rate of clinical postpartum depression among new mothers is between 10% to 20%, so the figures for those suffering from climate-related anxiety would appear to be very high indeed.

If you or someone you know is suffering from eco-anxiety, here are a few things you could do to try and alleviate the problem:

 Make a list of things that cause you distress

This is the most natural place to start tackling the problem, because until you positively identify what triggers the anxiety, you won’t be able to take any action to control it. A list sets out in black and white what your personal issues are regarding the environment and can help bring clarity and focus towards solutions.

Look for quick gains and actions you can easily take

Once you have identified specific areas of anxiety and committed them to paper, you can often see ways that you can make simple changes in your own life that will help change how you feel about the climate. It’s important to understand that although your actions alone will make very little impact to the environment, your personal feelings of powerlessness will begin to recede and you will be much better placed to advise others on actions they can take alongside you. Speaking of which…

Align yourself with like-minded people who share common goals

This isn’t a call to activism, but a practical way to bring people together to not only share advice, etc. but to take action on environmental issues as a group. It’s all well and good attending rallies and listening to politicians and celebrities telling us about climate change, but nothing beats positive action over words.

Some may say that the constant rhetoric could worsen the feelings of hopelessness and anxiety, but taking steps towards a well-formed outcome nearly always results in a sense of well-being. Actions speak louder than words!

Learn what you can control and what you can’t

It can be useful to figure out what is in your power to change and what is not. There’s a saying that goes “Change what you can and let go of what you can’t” and it’s vital to grasp this concept to combat anxiety in any situation.

There is little point stressing over things that government or industry has absolute control over, because all the protesting in the world, makes very little difference to the policy decisions of world leaders and business moguls. Protests are just a way of telling people how you feel, but they rarely result in any real changes.

There are however, many things you can change about how you live your life and that will begin to have an impact on the lives of those around you. Lead by example, rather than lecture, harass or shame people into action. If people are moved to make changes themselves, they will be more productive than if they feel obligated or guilted into action.

In conclusion, whilst being mindful of the challenges that climate change presents, we also need to remember that we can effect no change whilst our individual mental health is compromised. There are many things we can do both individually and in groups that will make a difference on a small scale and when many groups operate like this, change is inevitable.

Be gentle with yourself and mind yourself and those you come into contact with. The human condition can be very hard for many people, so don’t rush to judgement on people who don’t share your worldview. Do what you can do and be a leader. People will fall in behind you if they believe in what you’re doing and you treat everyone (including yourself) with respect.

Katherine Rosman is online publication where they empower parents to make their own choices, by providing comprehensive and actionable advice. They think that the key to happy parenting is the power to make your own choices. Everyone has an opinion when it comes to your children. The fact is there is no right way to raise kids. The best way is your way. You can make your own choices, but they believe that it helps to also have access to complete and thorough information so you can make informed choices. That’s their job, then it’s over to you .