Eco-anxiety: how can we protect our mental health?

1. Definition of eco-anxiety

The notion of eco-anxiety was conceptualized in 1997 by public health researcher Véronique Lapaige (2020). It can be defined as a form of anxiety, apprehension and stress linked to climate change and observed or anticipated threats to ecosystems. The term refers to prospective distress, in the sense that imagining the future becomes a source of worry.

The term eco-anxiety is often associated with solastalgia, which refers to retrospective distress: the loss of nature, of a world, the degradation of the environment. The term refers to a certain regret for the past, rather than fear of the future.

The symptoms

Eco-anxiety is not recognized as a pathology. Some professionals question this lack of official recognition, considering that the people concerned suffer as much as patients with other psychological disorders. Nevertheless, a majority of them defend the idea that anxiety about the threat of climate change is a normal, healthy and non-pathological reaction.

According to psychiatrists Antoine Pelissolo and Célie Massini, " People who claim to suffer from eco-anxiety report symptoms in the field of anxiety disorders: stress, panic attacks, anxiety attacks, insomnia, obsessive thoughts, eating disorders, invasive emotions (fear, sadness, powerlessness, despair, frustration, anger, paralysis)". Consultations for this reason are reportedly on the increase.

The causes

Eco-anxiety affects many people for a simple reason: climate change affects us all, especially the very young. According to a study published in The Lancet, 45% of young people aged 15 to 26 feel anxious about the climate crisis.

The study is based on a survey of 10,000 young people aged 16 to 25 in 10 countries, including France, and shows that 75% of 15-26 year-olds consider the future to be "frightening", and 56% believe that "humanity is doomed".

In concrete terms, young people feel that the crisis could have an impact on their personal and professional lives (55% feel they will have fewer opportunities than their parents), their family life (52% assume their family's security "will be threatened", 39% are reluctant to have children), and their general level of well-being (59% of those surveyed feel they are "very" or "extremely worried" about climate change).

If eco-anxiety particularly affects young people, it's above all because it's their future that's at stake! But other people are also more likely to develop eco-anxiety. This is particularly true of people living in urban areas, climatologists and ecologists, who are more in touch with nature and the repercussions of global warming.

2. Understanding and overcoming eco-anxiety

How to deal with eco-anxiety and climate change anxiety?

Eco-anxiety refers to a feeling of anxiety and fear, but also of powerlessness in the face of the climate situation. There are several ways to learn how to manage eco-anxiety.

Talk about it

When you're feeling anxious, whatever the reason, it's important to be able to talk about it so you can gain some perspective on the situation. In the case of eco-anxiety, it can be interesting to talk about it with people who feel the same way, or to talk to a professional (psychologist or psychiatrist). Being listened to and feeling legitimate in our feelings can be very beneficial.

Not everyone is equally aware of climate change, and not feeling heard can generate even more stress. The first step in combating eco-anxiety is therefore to talk about it, to exchange ideas with others on the subject, and to take a step back from the climate situation.

Mobilizing collectively

Once again, to avoid exacerbating feelings of loneliness, it's important to surround yourself with people when you're affected by eco-anxiety. Not just to talk about it. Gathering with like-minded people can help you feel understood. There are many groups and associations that enable this kind of collective mobilization, to take concrete action for the environment.

Focus on the positive

Developments in technology mean that the media are omnipresent, which can sometimes seem stifling. Global warming is covered in every medium: radio, television, newspapers, the Internet... And that's a good thing, as it helps to raise awareness of environmental issues among as many people as possible. However, when you're eco-anxious, it can be a good idea to get away from this "overload" of negative information, and focus on the positive. Whether on a global, national or local level, many media carry positive news about the environment. Focus on them!

Taking action on your own scale

The best way to combat eco-anxiety is to feel useful. It's important to realize that everyone can take action in their own way, and that if everyone makes small efforts, the changes can be substantial. Many eco-gestures can be applied on a daily basis: reducing waste, eating less meat, using less polluting means of transport... Even if these actions may seem insignificant, they actually help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The important thing to remember is that eco-anxiety or solastalgia are normal reactions to current environmental concerns. The important thing is to learn to manage this stress by discussing it and giving meaning to our actions, and to remember that it is possible to be happy while being aware of the climatic and environmental situation.