Climate change can have multiple effects on our health – both mentally and physically. While the physical aspects of climate change have been a focus for some time, the mental health aspects of climate change are gaining greater attention recently. Mental health issues related to worry about climate change have been dubbed by many as “eco-anxiety.”

From American Psychological Association depicting the impacts of climate change

Last year, the American Psychological Association published a 69 page report highlighting the issues related to climate change and mental health. Link to report here: APA – Mental Health and Our Changing Climate

According to the APA, mental  health problems can result from “watching the slow and seemingly irrevocable impacts of climate change unfold, and worrying about the future for oneself, children, and later generations.”

According to the APA Report, there are a myriad of mental health issues that can result directly from experiencing climate change or suffering from anxiety about climate change:

• trauma and shock
• PTSD
• compounded stress
• strains on social relationships
• depression
• anxiety
• substance abuse
• aggression and violence
• loss of autonomy and control
• loss of personal and occupational identity
• feelings of helplessness, fear, and fatalism

The APA suggests seeking professional treatment for those suffering from eco-anxiety. One organization that treats eco-anxiety suggests focusing on those things you can influence vs worrying over things you have no control.  Here’s a schematic to that effect from the investment educator Carl Richards that applies to eco-anxiety as well as most aspects of life: