Mental illness
Global warming is causing immense human suffering and that suffering cannot help but effect our mental health. The loss of lives and homes from extreme weather events is devastating, as are the effects of particular climate diseases, like smoke inhalation and heat stress.
Facing the enormity of the climate crisis overburdens our psyche to the point where many of us are breaking and often we have to retreat from this dark reality just to carry on functioning. Climate change is hard, it’s cruel, it’s unfair and it’s a bigger problem than any one person can solve. The way to treat it therefore, is to work together, to unite our efforts to bring about transformative change in the way humans interact with our planet. The way to treat it is to change our way of life from nature destroying to nature restoring.
ECOANXIETY and CLIMATE GRIEF
Anxiety and grief about the climate crisis is becoming increasingly recognised by psychiatrists, psychologists and general practitioners. The symptoms of which echo the symptoms of anxiety and depression, namely hopelessness, helplessness, anger, profound sadness, despair, anxiety and panic. We are all prone to these feelings, but we must acknowledge that young people are at the greatest risk. They have inherited a world of uncertainty and danger and they will be forced to the bear the brunt of the climate crisis.
You can combat this distress by:
Talking about your feelings. It always helps to share and we feel less isolated when we do so.
Taking actions to reduce your footprint (see “Individual Actions”)
Advocating for change by political engagement.
Supporting climate friendly business and practices
Remembering that there are others that understand and that there are many people that are working to solve this problem.
If these feelings reach a point where you are overwhelmed and are unable to cope with daily life, then it is time to seek medical help. Depression and Anxiety can be very serious illnesses and can be life threatening. See you local doctor and tell them of your distress. There are treatments available that are life saving and that will help relieve your suffering.
If you are acutely suicidal call an ambulance on 000 and wait for them to come. Do not act on these thoughts.
references
https://au.reachout.com/articles/how-to-cope-with-anxiety-about-climate-change
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/03/mental-health-climate.pdf
