Managing mental health challenges in the face of the climate crisis

The impact of climate change has seeped into our daily lives, with ‘eco-anxiety’ becoming an increasingly common challenge around the world.

Fundamentally, this type of anxiety manifests as feelings of distress about environmental disasters and the long-term future of human existence. And, like any form of anxiety, it can get in the way of social relationships and day-to-day living.

It’s also something that is shown to disproportionately affect young people, understandable as they are most likely to be impacted by climate change during their lifetimes. Indeed, a recent study by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) found that nearly half (49%) of 16 to 25-year-olds were “very” or “extremely” worried about the climate crisis, and globally, 75% considered the future “frightening” (RCPCH 2023) .

In this piece we will look at the impact of chronic fear of environmental catastrophe on mental health, the role that the media plays in exacerbating eco-anxiety and the importance of addressing that anxiety for both individual well-being and collective action against climate change.

The impact of climate change on mental health

Climate change can have catastrophic effects, with more frequent extreme weather events like tsunamis and earthquakes causing mass-destruction, as well as unbearable heatwaves, droughts and fires leading to reduced crops and limited access to water.

People directly affected by the destruction and loss that come with extreme weather events often experience a range of mental health problems, such anxiety and feelings of helplessness, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicidal thoughts.

However, climate change is also having an impact on the mental health of people who haven’t experienced climate-related disasters but who, like all of us, do experience the smaller effects of global warming in daily life. That might be increased health issues from worsening air quality, increased energy costs from unpredictable weather or even a worse night’s sleep from rising temperatures.

Living with this constant fear of environmental catastrophe will naturally cause problems both mentally and physically. After a while it can lead to fatigue, lack of concentration, insomnia, headaches and more.

Combatting climate change is a great undertaking, and while much effort is being made to support those directly affected by it, we mustn’t neglect to also support those suffering from eco-anxiety.

Limiting media consumption

Firstly, it’s important we address how the climate crisis is portrayed in the news and on social media.

Constant exposure means people – especially children – are witnessing the impact of catastrophic climate events without living through them. And, while it’s important to be aware of what’s happening in the world, in many cases the media coverage will be wholly negative, often leaving the viewer with a feeling of helplessness that can further exacerbate eco-anxiety.

It’s important that people are making a concerted effort to balance or limit their media consumption if they start to feel overwhelmed. The content you’re consuming should be increasing awareness of climate change, without being alarmist.

Making actionable changes to manage eco-anxiety

Another way to manage eco-anxiety is to focus on where you can make a difference. The climate crisis can’t be solved by one person, but there are steps you can take towards positive action. That might be participating in community initiatives, building more sustainable habits around energy use, recycling more, buying vintage or second-hand clothes instead of fast fashion, using more public transport or engaging with your local government and policymakers around wider-scale action.

Education can also be positive in alleviating fears around climate change.

Knowledge is power, and education that focuses on strategies to address and mitigate climate change will have a knock-on effect in improving eco-anxiety.

At the University of Manchester, we offer courses such as MA Education for a Sustainable Environment, which teaches students the knowledge to become effective and creative practitioners, policymakers, researchers and communicators in the field of sustainability education. This will help create a generation of people who are equipped to teach the ways we can fight against climate change, and hopefully assuage people’s fear through positive action.

Understanding and addressing eco-anxiety is vital for individual wellbeing as well as encouraging collective action against climate change. The effect that global warming is having on us is wide reaching and can be scary. So, it’s important to learn how to manage that fear, whether that’s through limiting media consumption around the topic, or making changes to your daily routine to help combat climate change.

Education will also be a big part of how we learn to manage eco-anxiety and ultimately, tackle climate change. At the University of Manchester, we offer a range of postgraduate courses with sustainability at their heart, and you can find out more about them here: Master’s courses for entry in 2024 | The University of Manchester.

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