We need to talk about a major source of anxiety for many in our community: climate change. Climate change impacts our health, from the spread of diseases to our physical health to our food sources—not to mention the increasing impact of natural disasters. It’s no wonder a new term has arisen: climate anxiety.
While 56% of Americans have experienced the direct impacts of extreme weather caused by climate change, you don’t need to have been personally affected to experience climate anxiety. Climate anxiety is “anxiety associated with perceptions about climate change, even among people who have not personally experienced any direct impacts,” reads a 2020 paper in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. You can have climate anxiety for a variety of reasons, like uncertainty about the future environment, or grief and fear over the loss of places and things you love. Climate change is a real threat, and it’s completely rational to feel anxious. But anxiety often paralyzes us.
While these feelings are natural, there are some solutions-focused responses we can take. Read on for our suggestions for alleviating climate anxiety, from mental health tips to everyday actions anyone can take.
Take a deep breath
Most mental health professionals will tell you the first thing to do when faced with anxiety is to take a deep breath and a step back from the situation. Climate change inspires big feelings and can be difficult to process. Giving yourself a moment to breathe, center yourself, and be mindful is the first step in overcoming anxious thoughts.
Disconnect, then change your feed
Media can help us understand the impacts of climate change on the world but can be incredibly overwhelming. Disconnecting for an intentional amount of time — a day, an hour, even ten minutes — offers a mental break.
Take this opportunity to review where you get your news and how it’s provided. Look for channels balancing the realities of climate change with stories of recovery or of people working to make a positive difference.
Utilizing public transit and cycling are ways to reduce your carbon footprint.
Assess your lifestyle
Climate can make us feel as if our actions don’t matter. This isn’t true. Unfortunately, we often say this to ourselves to avoid some of the changes we can make in our lives. As Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Jackson says in an interview with The New York Times,
“People don’t like sacrifice. People don’t like bans. But I think there’s a way to frame that as: This is an opportunity to live a different and better life.”
Individual changes add up to community-level actions. What are some changes you can make in your life? There may be an opportunity to recycle or compost. You could try eating more plant-based meals. Can you walk, bike, or carpool more? Returning to the age-old reduce, reuse, recycle — with a heavy emphasis on reduce and reuse — lowers our individual carbon footprints through manageable tasks that alleviate our sense of paralysis.
Connect with community
Anxiety often makes us feel alone. The best way to combat this is to engage with others. Join local groups who share your interests for an activity. Organize with friends and family to discuss climate concerns and take action. Find your local AMC chapter. AMC chapters host events like monitoring alpine plants for signs of climate change impacts and working on trails to make them more climate resilient.
Connecting with community alleviates feelings of loneliness and inspires action. Finding common ground helps build resilient communities, something we need as we experience the impacts of climate change.
Get involved in the civic process and let your elected officials know what you believe in.
Vote
One of the best ways to support protections for the environment is to vote and practice civic engagement. Voting for candidates that align with your environmental concerns, voicing your thoughts to your elected representatives, and supporting conservation organizations are all ways to engage with your environmental values.
Research the candidates running for office. Be an informed voter who takes part in our civic process. Sign up for AMC’s Conservation Action Network, our newsletter about local conservation initiatives and how you can participate. This collection action shapes legislation and policies.
Climate change is big, vague, and scary. Feeling anxious is a natural response. However, we can alleviate our anxiety and redirect our energy. Taking a deep breath, assessing your lifestyle, and connecting with community all help to build feelings of resilience.