5 Expert Tips for Coping With Eco-Anxiety

If you’re deeply concerned about the state of the planet — to the point that your anxieties are affecting your life or relationships — you have plenty of company.

Caroline Hickman, PhD, a lecturer and eco-anxiety researcher at the University of Bath in England, notes that eco-anxiety can be mild or more severe.

Hickman has experience helping people cope with all forms of eco-anxiety. She and others say there are several helpful ways to lessen the burden of climate-related distress so that people can move forward with their lives and contribute in a positive way to the fight against climate change.

1. Don’t Try to Deny or Suppress Your Emotions

“In other types of anxiety, the anxiety response is seen as disproportionate to the situation,” says Liza Jachens, PhD, a psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Nottingham in London. “But for eco-anxiety, it may be argued to be a normal and rational response to a real climate emergency.”

Hickman agrees. “We’re not going to reduce a person’s anxiety by telling them this isn’t terrifying, because that’s a lie,” she says.

Rather than attempt to minimize someone’s feelings or concerns, she says it’s more helpful to embrace these emotions in a way that makes them more tolerable and less disruptive. “Mindfulness is brilliant for this,” she says. “It’s about learning to live with and tolerate and accept what you’re feeling so you can move forward in a positive way.”

2. Take Action

Hickman endorses this advice. “Don’t just passively accept the situation,” she says. “Channeling anxiety into action can have a transformational effect.”

Getting involved could mean becoming politically active or volunteering in local efforts to combat climate change. You could also find work with nonprofits that are working against global warming. Any of these endeavors could be helpful in removing the feelings of helplessness that fuel eco-anxiety, she says.

3. Find the Right Professional Help

“There are many types of therapy that could be useful, but it is important to identify a therapist who has some experience in treating eco-anxiety,” Jachens says. “It is a newly emerging mental health issue, and the literature is scarce on what treatments work best.”

Professionals who have developed expertise in helping people cope with these issues sometimes refer to themselves as being “climate-aware,” says Panu Pihkala, PhD, an adjunct professor of environmental theology at the University of Helsinki in Finland.

The Climate Psychology Alliance is an organization dedicated to addressing the psychological aspects of the climate emergency. The organization’s website has several resources for individuals looking for support, available virtually or via other means globally.

It may also be helpful to Google “climate aware” when looking for a therapist in your area.

4. Connect With Others Who Share Your Concerns

Interacting with like-minded people — those who, like you, are deeply upset about climate change and want to make a difference — can reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation, which can be therapeutic, Jachens says.

Others second this advice. “You’re not alone,” Dr. Pihkala says. “Don’t remain alone.” Online or in-person meetups, sometimes called “climate cafes,” can be helpful. Check out the Climate Psychology Alliance’s Climate Café Online list to locate a gathering you can take part in.

5. Spend Time in Nature

Getting out and being with the thing you’re worried about — the natural world — can also be therapeutic. “Interventions focused on connecting with nature are helpful in the healing process,” Jachens says.

The big takeaway here is that there are ways to manage your eco-anxiety and also to channel it in positive directions. “Out of trauma there’s this transformational possibility where you live your life more fully and you don’t passively accept the situation,” Hickman says.

The Takeaway

• Eco-anxiety stems from distress and fear about climate change and can impact daily functioning, particularly in young individuals.
• Learning to manage, rather than deny, these feelings with mindfulness techniques can help in coping and maintaining emotional equilibrium.
• Engaging in positive actions like volunteering or joining climate initiatives can provide a sense of control and reduce anxiety.
• If eco-anxiety significantly affects your quality of life, consider seeking help from a climate-aware mental health professional for specialized support.