Climate change and related disasters cause anxiety-related responses as well as chronic and severe mental health disorders. Flooding and prolonged droughts have been associated with elevated levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders.
Table of Contents
How do I stop eco-anxiety?
TIPS FOR OVERCOMING ECO-ANXIETY
Knowing the enemy is fundamental and that is where climate change education comes in. Raise your own and others’ awareness of the problem. Commit to responsible consumption and recycling to protect the environment as much as possible. Also reduce your plastics consumption.
How do you grieve climate change?
Ways to cope with eco-grief Connection to community. Validation that you are not alone in experiencing these complex emotions can be beneficial. Practice lament. Lament is an expression of sorrow or grief. Focus on what you can control. Find solace in natural spaces.
How does climate affect mental health?
The mental health consequences of events linked to a changing global climate include mild stress and distress, high-risk coping behavior such as increased alcohol use and, occasionally, mental disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Is eco-anxiety a mental illness?
Is Eco-Anxiety a Medical Condition? Not usually. It isn’t an officially recognised physical or mental disorder, so it can’t be diagnosed as one. Eco-anxiety is on a spectrum, with some people more effected than others.