Stressed out by climate problems? Check out these tips for overcoming eco-anxiety

eco-anxiety - cleanbuild

Stressed out by climate problems? Check out these tips for overcoming eco-anxiety

Few things in life are as depressing as reading about stories of human lives and properties lost to floods, hurricanes, tropical storms, and other natural disasters.

Yet, that emotion is nothing compared to what survival of such occurrences feel; the despair, pain, and hopelessness of searching for loved ones in the rubbles of buildings torn apart by the fury of nature.

An average observer who watched how wildfires gutted parts of Europe or Cyclone Idai, which wiped out Mozambique’s fourth-largest city, might have had mixed feelings of empathy and relief knowing that s/he is on the safer side of the screen.

To some others, that may well be the beginning of emotional turmoil and anxiety. They might reason, “if disasters can happen to others, they can also happen to me.”

This boils down to one fact: climate emergency is a genuine threat. One natural disaster after another, not to mention extreme weather events, has been happening at an alarming rate than ever before.

To various degrees, we get worried over the changing climate and the threat it represents to all lives on the planet no thanks to industrialization, deforestation, mining, urbanization, and poaching.

However, there’s a growing body of research that shows that people are getting more distressed about the climate. than is normal. This has given rise to a concept called eco-anxiety.

Although it is a newly coined word, the word “eco-anxiety” has become a subject of interest to many a psychologist worldwide. More so, it is some people’s reality, though they have no idea that there’s a name for how they feel.

This piece explores what eco-anxiety is, its causes and symptom, and more importantly helpful tips that can help to combat eco-anxiety.

What is eco-anxiety?

Though not yet considered a disease, eco-anxiety is a result of the heightened concern about the climate emergency that we are experiencing.

Giving it a definition, the American Psychology Association (APA) describes eco-anxiety as “the chronic fear of environmental cataclysm that comes from observing the seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change and the associated concern for one’s future and that of next generations”.

The APA submits that the internalization of the severe environmental issues that plague the earth can have psychological consequences, albeit to varying degrees of seriousness in some people.

What causes eco-anxiety?

Bad things are enough to give us a jolt of anxiety. But when you throw in climate-related phenomena like heat waves and fires, cyclones and typhoons, earthquakes and tidal waves; the increase in all kinds of pollution; the loss of biodiversity, water scarcity, famine, deforestation; rising sea levels not to mention the overexploitation of natural resources, you have a perfect recipe for eco-anxiety.

How do you know if you have eco-anxiety?

Presently, there are no statistics to know just how many people suffer from eco-anxiety. Besides, it doesn’t affect everyone the same way.

People who have first-hand experience, particularly children in their formative years are likely to develop eco-anxiety.

It also tends to be noticeable in people who are more aware of the environmental degradation of the planet. Africa certainly has its share of environmental activists who are decrying the “business-as-usual” attitude as far as climate change is concerned.

So at what point can you determine if you have eco-anxiety? In severe cases, eco-anxiety can lead to depression and feelings of guilt about the condition of the earth. Common symptoms include the following:

  • Slight cases of anxiety
  • Mental stress
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Nervousness
Tips to help you overcome eco-anxiety

Keep others informed. One step to solving a problem is knowing it. Help others to know about climate change and their roles in unknowingly contributing to the crisis.

Make lifestyle changes: Engaging in upbuilding exercises can keep anxiety at bay. To this end, commit to sustainable practices in the following ways:

  • Practice responsible consumption of resources (food, water, etc)
  • Recycle
  • Conserve energy
  • Ensure proper waste management

Participate in local community climate action. Having a share in climate activism whether in-person or online can help you to tackle eco-anxiety.

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