Climate change is at the forefront of our minds – now more than ever. Over the past month, devastating wildfires have engulfed Los Angeles, destroying over 10,000 homes and killing at least 29 people.
The hot, dry weather conditions that gave rise to the fires were made about 35% more likely due to human-induced climate change, a new scientific study has confirmed.
The climate emergency has become more pressing in the past few years.
In June 2023, you most likely saw the pictures of an orange-hued New York City all over your social media feeds. Residents shared their snapshots as the iconic skyline was blanketed in a hazy-like filter. After Canada faced its worst wildfire season in history, the fumes from the blaze impacted the air quality in Canada and North America. New York City is hundreds of miles away, yet its residents felt the effects of the fires.
At the time, environmentalist Bill McKibben wrote that the fall-out from the wildfires is a reminder of what many people have to deal with regularly due to the climate change crisis. “Today is our chance to understand what it really feels like every day on a fossil-fuelled planet, for the billions of people unlucky enough to really bear the brunt,” he wrote. “My eyes are stinging a bit from the smoke, but I’ve never seen more clearly.”
When reading about climate change and the devastating impact of the wildfires, it's only natural that one might become anxious. You may feel overwhelmed, scared, angry, and helpless. Climate Change Anxiety is a very real thing, and it's something that can impact anyone, especially younger generations. In fact, according to research from The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 60% of adults say that the climate and ecological emergencies are affecting their mental health, and will continue to do so in the future.
It’s an issue that’s taking its toll particularly among the young who feel betrayed by the inaction of their elders. Over half (57%) of child and adolescent psychiatrists in England are seeing children and young people distressed about the climate crisis and the state of the environment.
“An increasing number of my students are concerned about the climate,” says psychologist Dr Audrey Tang. “They are, after all, the ones who will need to make the planet work for them. I hear a lot about students asking parents to recycle only to be told in response, ‘When I was your age, we used to only use one piece of toilet paper each time we went.’
“What can sometimes add to mental health issues when it comes to, well, issues, is that those more greatly affected will advocate for change but those who advocated in the past – especially if they are feeling under-appreciated or unrecognised for their efforts – will struggle to listen.”
For many, it's not a matter of not wanting to, but not being able to.
Climate anxiety is defined not just as panic, but also describes other emotional responses we experience in relation to climate crisis, including anger and grief. While the symptoms might feel severe, ranging from difficulty sleeping up to panic attacks, it’s important to understand that climate anxiety is a very natural and understandable emotional response to what’s happening in the world.
“Feeling this distress or anxiety is the price we pay for being aware, awake and caring about the future of humanity and the world – it is a healthy and caring response,” says Caroline Hickman of the University of Bath and Climate Psychology Alliance. She explains that, although these emotions are difficult, they are crucial. ”The important thing is not to judge yourself for having these feelings, but to make sure there is some balance between the anxiety, sadness and taking action," she says. “It is only by feeling this distress that we will take the situation seriously, and be moved to act.”
Around a decade ago, when climate psychologist Tree Staunton discovered the irreparable damage humanity has inflicted on the planet, she fell into a depression. “I found myself constantly initiating conversations about environmental and social collapse, where I would simultaneously bemoan the horror of the situation whilst secretly hoping somehow for a response that might suggest things were not as bad as they seemed," she tells us.
"Managing those who refuse to accept climate change as an issue is probably less important than managing ourselves and our own feelings." It’s a point worth remembering as many of us struggle to deal with loved ones who might not have yet accepted the realities of climate change.
So, what can we do to ease any anxiety, anger or despair that we might be experiencing right now? Hickman advises starting with the basics – treat yourself with kindness and compassion. Avoid a superhero mindset to prevent burnout; this is an emergency, but a long-term one that will need sustained energy.
“Try not to get overwhelmed, find group support for yourself and balance the internal emotional feelings with external practical actions,” says Hickman. “There is hope, but we need ‘radical hope’ not naïve hope.”
The idea of radical hope is a philosophy supported by the Climate Psychology Alliance, which it defines as leaning into our feelings of helplessness, anguish, grief and destructive entitlement to create a resilience to a crisis and a capacity to deal with it. In other words, if we accept the difficult reality, we can start to imagine a new future. “Things are bad, but there is also a lot we can do if we take action now,” says Hickman.
Both recommend balancing your news consumption. Talking therapy is another option to consider, but make sure you approach a mental health professional equipped to deal with issues relating to the state of the planet.
The Climate Psychology Alliance has an outreach programme offering a list of climate change-aware therapists, as well as forums in which to explore and validate any concerns you might be having. “I have heard stories of people being responded to by therapists who either want to make it a personal problem (‘what is this really about?’) when a client raises concerns about the climate crisis; or alternatively a kind of ‘green prescription’ (‘go out in nature and you will feel better’) or even an ‘action prescription’ (‘go out and take some action and it will help’),” explains Staunton.
“None of the above are responsive to the needs of the client, and are an indication that the therapist has not dealt with their own climate distress, and therefore cannot be receptive or responsive to the distress of the other person.”
It is too late to repair all of the damage we have caused the planet, but we can channel our anxiety into positive action to prevent the situation from worsening going forward. Allow yourself time to feel whatever it is you’re feeling in relation to climate change – but don’t sit in it too long. It’s time to act.
And when are we going to start calling out the brands, rather than each other?
- Sign a petition or write to your MP to express your concerns. “If lots of us do this, it helps to demonstrate just how much public will there is for real progress at this autumn's global climate summit in Glasgow. You can also encourage our leaders to cut UK emissions from areas like home heating and improve public transport as well as routes for walking and cycling.”
- Demand accountability and action from big companies. “Supermarkets and fast-food companies are driving deforestation in the Amazon and other forests with swathes of forest being destroyed for meat and dairy production. Joining and supporting campaigns like our own calling on UK supermarkets and fast-food companies to drop forest destroyers from their supply chains is a good way of applying pressure. And reducing your own meat consumption is a really positive step.
- Join an organisation fighting for the environment. “Consider joining Greenpeace or new youth led movements like Green New Deal Rising. Coming together with other people to campaign and take action is a powerful way of building pressure for change.”
