[Science] Stressed about climate change? Eight tips for managing eco-anxiety – AI

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[Science] Stressed about climate change? Eight tips for managing eco-anxiety – AI


By Penny Sarchet A schoolchild protesting in Edinburgh in MarchJeff J Mitchell/Getty If the prospect of climate change makes you stressed, anxious or depressed, you aren’t alone. With reports of some children becoming terrified by climate change and the protest group Extinction Rebellion holding “grief-tending workshops”, there is an increasing awareness of so-called eco-anxiety. The phenomenon is significant enough that psychotherapists met in London on Saturday to discuss how best to manage the dread and fear people are experiencing over our impact on the planet. “Eco-anxiety is a term that’s used a lot, but it’s misguided if it’s not used in the right way,” said Sarah Niblock of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) in her opening speech. “This is not an illness or disorder, it’s a perfectly normal and healthy reaction.” Read more: Seven steps to save the planet: How to take on climate change and win It is also a relatively new concept. While there is evidence that extreme weather events may directly harm mental well-being, the picture is less clear when it comes to anxiety caused by an awareness or understanding of environmental issues. One of the few clues is a 2018 Yale University report that suggested that about 21 per cent of people in the US say they are “very worried” about global warming. Advertisement But psychotherapists at the UKCP meeting had plenty of anecdotal evidence. “I had ten organisations contact me last week alone saying our staff are struggling, can you help?” said Caroline Hickman of the Climate Psychology Alliance, a group set up in response to climate anxiety. She has been contacted by museums, science institutes and civil servants, as well as counsellors, with one asking her how to help a 19-year-old student who was sobbing and said: “I can never have children because of the climate emergency”. Read more: 18 up-and-running projects that could save us from climate change Hickman also spoke of the distress experienced by school-strikers for the climate. “Some of these young people are really struggling when they go back to school and they’re met with a kind of antipathy or shaming by the school.” But the conference, which also included talks from climate scientists and environmental activists, wasn’t short of tips for managing eco-anxiety. Many stressed the benefits of agency – feeling capable of actively doing something – although there is no doubt that significant action from governments is necessary if we want to limit warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees. If you are feeling anxious about the environment, here are eight approaches for managing your eco-anxiety and feeling less hopeless. 1. Live more in alignment with your values There was disagreement at the meeting over the value of lifestyle changes. The impact of individual actions can be very small, but psychotherapist Mary-Jayne Rust suggested that changing your lifestyle to be more compatible with your values can help with eco-anxiety. Researchers from Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute offered several ways to do this: eat less meat and dairy, drive less and stop buying and disposing of so many items. “We live in a throwaway society,” said the institute’s Neil Jennings. “We consume much more than we need and it’s not making us happy.” 2. Give your home an energy health check Energy use in homes accounts for 14 per cent of total UK greenhouse gas emissions. The Grantham Institute recommends ensuring your home is energy efficient, with good insulation and draught-proof windows and doors, as well as measures such as putting on an extra layer and turning down your heating. Reducing your energy use helps you take some direct ownership of your consumption, said Jennings. But he noted that we also need support from the government to improve the energy efficiency of the homes we live in. 3. Cut back on flying, especially if you are a frequent flyer The Swedish concept of flygskam (“flight shame”) has recently gained attention, but a minority is responsible for the lion’s share of Great Britain’s emissions from flights. An analysis from 2014 suggests that 15 per cent of the adults in Great Britain account for 70 per cent of flights taken, so it is the people who take three or more flights a year who will make the most difference by cutting back. If taking fewer business flights could put your job at risk, try switching from business class to standard class. The Grantham Institute says this uses a plane’s capacity more efficiently. 4. Don’t feel ashamed However, in her discussion of flygskam, the environment writer and activist Emma Marris noted that billions of people fly. “My individual actions are not actually capable of solving climate change,” she said. While changing how you live and travel may help you by letting you live more closely in accordance with your values, you shouldn’t feel ashamed for not being fully able to comply with these. “The systems in which we are all enmeshed essentially force us to harm the planet, and yet we put all that shame on our own shoulders,” said Marris. “The shame is not helping anybody.” 5. Focus your efforts on changing systems, not yourself Marris argued that we can’t get where we want to be through individual action, and that accepting this has therapeutic benefits. “I don’t think a complete narcissistic focus on the self is healthy,” she said. Instead, Marris suggested you can have a much more meaningful impact by working with others to lobby governments. The Grantham Institute advises letting your MP, local councillors and mayor know that you think action on climate change is important, and writing to your bank or pension provider to ask if you can opt out of funds that invest in fossil fuels. 6. Find like-minded people Rust recommended finding a community of like-minded individuals so that you can express and share your feelings of eco-anxiety. Marris agreed, saying that you can’t solve climate change on your own and that joining a group of some kind will enable you to make friends. “I’m not an expert on mental health but I feel like making friends is helpful,” she joked. 7. Protect and nurture local green spaces Getting involved in community environment projects may help your mental health while also being good for the planet. Green spaces absorb carbon dioxide, cool urban areas, reduce flood risk and provide valuable habitats for wildlife. A recent study found that spending two hours a week outdoors in nature is linked to better health and well-being, and Rust recommends trying to find some time outside every day. 8. Talk about the changes you make Jennings spoke about the importance of talking about your experiences – the challenges as well as the positives – and bringing other people along with you. “Talking about the practical things people can do in their day-to-day lives gives people some sense of control back, which I think can really improve people’s well-being,” he told the meeting. Read more: Brexit, exams, trying for a baby: How to cope when life is in limbo More on these topics: climate change

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