The climate and biodiversity crisis is a mental-health concern.

Climate change, biodiversity collapse and mental health are very much interlinked. Not only evidence shows that heatwaves, bushfires, floods and other extreme weather events have a significant negative impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing, but eco-anxiety and climate distress is also rising everywhere – especially amongst young people - our future generations, with the ability to debilitate us from taking action.

As a sustainability educator and Climate Fresk facilitator, I often find myself stuck in a strange conundrum:

-> Helping people understand the basics of climate science and the systemic nature of the climate crisis can also mean causing extreme overwhelm or distress. 

If education can encourage people to change their attitudes and behaviour – we also know that emotional distress can also stop or delay action. In more serious cases, eco-anxiety can cause a sensation of suffocation or even depression. 

As a yoga instructor, mental health first aider and with an academic background in psycho-analysis, this never really sat well with me.

I came across Psychology for a Safe Climate (thank you Mylène Turban ) and enrolled myself in their Professional Development series, with a strong intention to equip myself with the tools (and network) with the aim to continue supporting people of all ages who are distressed about the reality and impact of climate change and biodiversity collapse.

I have learnt so much and every climate distress conversation makes me grow as a Climate Aware Practitioner.

The more I evolve on my climate and ecology awareness journey, the more I realise how critical it is to build the psychosocial support and resilience of individuals and communities in systemic, connected and culturally appropriate ways. 

Climate distress is serious

Climate distress, also referred to as eco-anxiety, refers to distressing feelings related to the impacts of climate change. This type of distress is often rooted in feelings of uncertainty, lack of control and concerns over well-being or safety. Unlike other stressors, which are often personal, climate change can be more universal, chronic and often intangible. Because of this, climate anxiety has the potential to impact a large number of people. In fact, according to Climate Council , more than half (51%) of Australians are “very (25%) or fairly worried (26%)” about climate change and extreme weather events in Australia.

How does it feel like?

We all feel it differently. Beyond feeling overwhelmingly worried about the future of our planet and all living things - including ourselves - some potential symptoms include:

• anger or frustration, particularly toward people who don’t acknowledge climate change or older generations for not making more progress
• fatalistic thinking
• guilt or shame related to your own carbon footprint
• post-traumatic stress after experiencing effects of climate change
• feelings of depression, anxiety, or panic
• grief and sadness over the loss of natural environments or wildlife populations
• obsessive thoughts about the climate

Learning about and living with climate change is a rollercoaster of emotions and can fuel tensions in relationships with friends, partners, family - especially if you don’t hold the same views or sense of urgency on climate change and biodiversity collapse.

You are not alone...

A well-calibrated tendency to feel eco-anxiety is a mark of a morally admirable sensitivity to ecological crises. Moreover, given that the negative effects of climate change are surely to disproportionately affect the global poor, the benefits that well-tuned eco-anxiety can bring have normative implications — eco-anxiety is an emotion we ought to be feeling to increase planetary wellbeing.

(source: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.981814/full)

"It makes me feel sick. Looking at my children and realising that they won't have the same quality of life we had. Far from it. That they will live in a world facing severe water and food shortages, a world marked by wars caused by the consequences of climate change." - Katrin Meissner, Associate Professor, Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales.

Learning how to cope with climate distress is critical to meaningful and sustainable climate action.

Acknowledging and learning how to cope with negative emotions and distress will help us support others. It starts with accepting these feelings as completely normal and rational. Is it easy? of course not. But there are many things you can do on the journey:

• Learn to sit with your feelings and the issues facing us.
• Avoid becoming overwhelmed by your feelings - this can take some practice.
• Avoid burnout or fatigue.
• Find small joys in your everyday life.
• Stay engaged in climate action.
• Instil hope for the future.

Embrace the power of the individual, the power of you!

Going green doesn't have to be a daunting task that means sweeping life changes or giving up the things you love. Simple choices and actions every day do have an impact. Everyday actions towards more sustainable ways of living can be a source of pride and even joy, in, for example, cultivating the simplest veggie patch. (reference: https://www.1millionwomen.com.au/blog/riding-rollercoaster-emotions-living-changing-climate/)

It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.

- Krishnamurti