Climate Anxiety: A Growing Concern for Young People

The emotional toll of climate change is broad-ranging, especially for young people. Anxiety, grief, anger, fear, and helplessness are just a few of the emotions that many young individuals experience when thinking about the future of the planet. A daily grind of climate anxiety and distress can lead to sleeplessness, an inability to focus, and worse. Some young people even wonder whether it’s moral to bring children into the world, while many others grieve for the natural world.

The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health

Many worry about what the future holds, and a daily grind of climate anxiety and distress can lead to sleeplessness, an inability to focus, and worse. Some young people wonder whether it’s moral to bring children into the world. Many people grieve for the natural world.

Building Resilience and Managing Emotions

Activists, climate psychologists, and others in the fight against climate change have a range of ways to build resilience and help manage emotions. Some ideas include:

Get Active in Your Community

Feeling isolated? Find ways to connect with like-minded people and help nature, said climate psychologist Laura Robinson in Ann Arbor, Michigan. There are many ways to get involved. Work locally to convince more residents to give up grass lawns and increase biodiversity with native plants, for instance. Help establish new green spaces, join projects to protect water, develop wildlife corridors, or decrease pesticide use to save frogs, insects, and birds. Work to get the word out on turning down nighttime lighting to help birds and lightning bugs.

Make a Positivity Sandwich

Climate news and the onslaught of disaster and mayhem in general has become heavy and overwhelming for many with the rise of social media and mobile phone use. Try scheduling breaks from notifications on your phone or stepping back from the news cycle in other ways. Consider the idea of a “positivity sandwich,” where you begin with a good piece of news, followed by a harder tidbit, then finish with a second feel-good story.

Model Behaviors for Your Kids

Phoebe Yu, 39, gave up a cushy job in health technology to work on an MBA with a focus on sustainability. She started a business selling sponges made from the luffa gourd. And she does it all while raising her 6-year-old son with her husband in Fremont, California.
In this June 2023 photo provided by Phoebe Yu, she poses with her son Teddy Vucurevich, center, and husband Daniel Vucurevich in the Stanislaus National Forest near Sonora, Calif. (Phoebe Yu via AP)
Part of managing her own emotions is trying to model sustainable behaviors for her son while educating him on the importance of helping the environment. The family drives an electric vehicle. They don’t eat meat and have encouraged extended family to do the same. They recycle, compost, and limit travel by air.

Remember: We’re All Connected

Britnee Reid teaches middle school science for Gaston Virtual Academy, a K-12 virtual public school based in Gastonia, North Carolina. Reid participated in a pilot project for a free teacher tool kit on climate put together by the National Environmental Education Foundation and the Climate Mental Health Network, a collective of community advocates working on the emotional impacts of climate change. The kit is full of ways to help teachers support students’ mental health and manage their own climate-related emotions. One of the exercises involves students documenting their interactions with the natural world in an environmental timeline. Laying it all out often stirs action, Reid said.

Find the Words to Express Your Feelings

Psychotherapist Patricia Hasbach, just outside of Eugene, Oregon, has written several books on eco-psychology and eco-therapy and has taught graduate students on those topics. “We incorporate nature into the healing process,” she said. “And we address a person’s relationship with the natural world. Certainly with climate change, eco-therapy has a huge role to play.”
FILE – Visitors walk down a ramp after climbing Shark Valley observation point in Everglades National Park, Fla., Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
One of her most important missions is helping people find their words to talk about climate change in pursuit of resilience.

You’re Not Alone, You’re Many

Climate scientist Kate Marvel, a physicist and author of the new book “Human Nature: Nine Ways to Feel About our Changing Planet,” urges people to think differently about their place in preserving the environment.
FILE – People are silhouetted against the sky at sunset as they walk at Shawnee Mission park, Sept. 26, 2024, in Shawnee, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
“A lot of times, the anxiety and the hopelessness comes from a feeling of powerlessness. And I don’t think any of us is powerless,” she said. “I think collectively, we’re incredibly powerful,” Marvel said. “The atmosphere cares about what all of us together are doing, and I think you can have much more impact if you think of yourself as part of the collective.”

Conclusion

Climate anxiety is a growing concern for young people, and it’s essential to acknowledge and address these emotions. By getting active in their communities, making a positivity sandwich, modeling behaviors for their kids, remembering that they’re all connected, finding the words to express their feelings, and recognizing that they’re not alone, young people can build resilience and manage their emotions. It’s crucial to create a supportive environment where individuals can openly discuss their feelings and work together to create a more sustainable future.

FAQs

Q: What is climate anxiety, and how does it affect young people?
A: Climate anxiety refers to the emotional toll of climate change, which can lead to feelings of anxiety, grief, anger, fear, and helplessness. Young people are particularly vulnerable to these emotions, which can impact their mental health and well-being.
Q: How can I manage my climate anxiety?
A: You can manage your climate anxiety by getting active in your community, making a positivity sandwich, modeling behaviors for your kids, remembering that you’re all connected, finding the words to express your feelings, and recognizing that you’re not alone.
Q: What is eco-therapy, and how can it help with climate anxiety?
A: Eco-therapy is a form of therapy that incorporates nature into the healing process. It can help individuals address their relationship with the natural world and find ways to manage their climate-related emotions.
Q: How can I talk to my kids about climate change?
A: You can talk to your kids about climate change by modeling sustainable behaviors, educating them on the importance of helping the environment, and encouraging them to get involved in their community. It’s essential to approach the topic in a way that’s accessible and empowering for them.