Eco-anxiety: What is it and how to deal with it?
Climate change is the most serious threat we face as a society and puts the future of the planet as we know it at risk. This situation and the increasing amount of news we see every day in the media have increased the negative psychological impact on some people, a phenomenon known as ecological anxiety.
Do you suffer when you see animal species disappearing or have a hard time when you hear about climate change? Do you worry that no measures are being taken to protect the planet? Maybe you are suffering from eco-anxiety.
What is it?
The American Psychology Association (APA) defines this new term as a chronic fear of environmental cataclysm, caused by observing the seemingly irrevocable impacts of climate change Climate change is affecting our planet permanently and, at the same time, these changes can affect you.
Eco-anxiety, the fear of the planet's uncertain future, is increasingly common among youth and young adults, who will suffer most from the effects of climate change and global warming.
According to the IPCC, there are only three years left to do something about the future of humanity in the face of climate change, because if nothing is done, the planet will suffer devastating and irreversible consequences. Fortunately, more and more young people are raising awareness and fighting for a commitment to care for and protect the planet.
How to deal with eco-anxiety?
Information yes, but with caution. Limit the information you consume. You have to be informed, but not over-informed, so that it is not the only subject that we inform ourselves about, nor do we search for information in a convulsive way, as this can worsen our anxiety.
Do your part. To calm the feelings created by climate anxiety, the best thing to do is to do our bit. One of the keys is to learn to live more sustainably, to opt for more responsible local consumption, to support sustainable brands, to reduce single-use plastics, and so on. In short, action is about supporting sustainable development and being a model of sustainable development.
Don't worry about things that don't depend on you. You can do your part, but you can't do things for others or get frustrated with actions that are not up to you.
And above all, try to keep the positive. Although climate change and its effects are real and we are already noticing its consequences, every day more and more people, companies and governments are becoming aware of the problem and are helping to reduce it.