f the negative impact of climate change is affecting you to levels of extreme worry and anxiety, here’s what you need to know!
What Is Eco Anxiety?
Eco-anxiety refers to a fear of damage or possibly irreparable damage to the environment or ecology. Psychologists at the American Psychological Association (APA) define eco-anxiety as “a chronic fear of environmental doom.” A 2020 study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology also summarises eco-anxiety as, “negative emotional responses associated with awareness of climate change” that include “cognitive and functional impairment factors.” This sense of anxiety is often based on the environment and human-induced climate change as well as the current and predicted future state of the same.
Signs You Have Eco-Anxiety
While eco-anxiety may feel a lot like anxiety, the former is often caused specifically sure to climate change-induced stress and feels a lot more existential. You may feel:
- Anger or frustration
You could feel either or both towards individuals around you who don’t particularly acknowledge climate change.
- Existential or Fatalistic Thinking
Your thought processes could make you feel like everything is headed for doom. On the other hand, you could find yourself questioning the value or meaning of life altogether.
- Grief
Much like many deeply moving events that cause grief, the loss of natural ecosystems or wildlife could cause you more grief and sadness than you could be equipped to handle.