Ten Tips for Managing Eco-Anxiety

 

Photo by Juliana Kozoski on Unsplash

Feeling worried, anxious and stressed about planet-related issues is something that affects many people today. Thinking about - and witnessing - climate change and its impacts on the present and the future has knock-on effects on mental health for a huge number of us. This blog post of course cannot solve these anxieties themselves, nor it is a complete list that will suit everyone, but it is designed to equip you with tips I have found can help manage feelings of hopelessness or worry you may have about the environment!

Actions

• Limit your news consumption - while it can be very tempting to be connected to the headlines all the time, it does not help us or anyone around us if we are feeling overwhelmed with a constant, negative news cycle. Instead, you could try checking the news at a set time each day to avoid over-refreshing your feed.
• Inform yourself - this may seem contradictory to the first suggestion! But educating yourself on the bigger, wider issues, using reliable resources rather than sensationalist headlines, can empower you to understand what you can do to combat the climate crisis. Learning more in the long run can allow us to feel equipped with the facts rather than overwhelmed by the emotional toll of the issues.
• Get out into nature - again, when you're behind a screen at home it can be easy to lose touch with the smaller picture. Experiencing nature by whatever means accessible to you is a great way to reconnect with the planet! Whether it's your garden, the local park or another outdoor space, experiencing a bit of greenery and fresh air does wonders for our worries.
• Be proactive - a great way to manage feeling stressed or panicking about climate change is knowing you're taking direct personal action to combat it. Taking the time to make those changes (transitioning to a plant-based diet, switching to a renewable home energy supplier, cutting back on air travel etc) may help you to feel a lot more in-control and therefore less overwhelmed about the seriousness of the situation.
• Talk to others - speaking with a friend or family member about your feelings can really help to put things into perspective. After all, the burden of worrying about the planet's future does not rest entirely on your shoulders - and a problem shared is a problem halved! If you don't think you have a like-minded person to turn to, connecting with others in your community or online who are also interested in environmentalism can be a great method of reaching out to others.

Advice

• Focus on the positives - this may seem (and often is!) easier said than done, but this is honestly a great piece of advice that I was once given. Fundamentally, allowing yourself to be demotivated in the face of overwhelming climate challenges doesn't help anything - not you, your mental burnout, those around you or the planet! On the other hand, taking a look at some of the positive things going on can help shift your perspective and look to a more optimistic future.
• Accept what you cannot change - again, this is a hard thing to do, especially when it comes to big, pressing issues such as the climate crisis. However, things do feel a lot easier once you practice thinking "I can only do my best" and working on the things you can actually change. Every little action really does help! Focusing on what you can do allows a productive, practical outlook about what you can achieve yourself.
• Find the right balance for you - people have varied opinions on the importance of individual changes versus big-picture system changes when it comes to environmental issues, and it's important to reflect on what is important to you. In my experience, striking a balance has been the most beneficial for allowing me to feel like I'm making a difference. Changing my individual actions and habits where I can has been a concrete way of combating the climate crisis while I work on larger-scale action at the same time.
• Accept your feelings - recognise that your feelings about the situation are valid. In fact, they can themselves be a useful tool to help spur you into action against the threat of climate change. Using my worries or frustrations about the crisis to motivate me to take action and connect to others has been a hugely valuable practice.
• Reach out if you need - it is important to note that if anxiety or stress about the planet (or indeed anything!) is severely impacting or inhibiting your day-to-day life, you may benefit from professional support. The NHS website offers many more resources on the types of help available for general anxiety disorders.

Resources/Further Reading

• What is Eco-Anxiety? by Happiful
• Climate Handbook by the Climate Psychology Alliance
• Good News App
• 'Eco-Anxiety' by BBC Three
• Climate Change Taking a Toll on Your Mental Health? by Healthline

This is of course far from a complete list of ideas - if you have any questions or tips of your own, do let us know in the comments below or via our Facebook or Instagram as usual!

Author: Lucy