5 Strategies For Managing Climate Anxiety
The climate crisis is very much real, and it’s here - there’s no use in denying that. Something that we grew up thinking would happen centuries in the future has crept into our real lives, in real time. This reality, however, can cause an immense amount of personal anxiety. It’s important to note that this is a different type of anxiety than something like generalized anxiety, during which you may ruminate about more interpersonal or personal things that are happening within the realm of your life (think: success in your career, social interactions, relationships, etc.). Climate anxiety may feel different: it’s a sort of existential anxiety - and because it’s something that impacts the whole world and the future in a very real way, it can feel unnatural and almost impossible to carry on like usual and not get consumed with the worry. But this is an important time to remember: you deserve the ability to manage and enjoy your life, even in the midst of both personal and global challenges. This sentiment, however, is incredibly difficult to embrace. Not to fear: there are some concrete and doable strategies to manage the climate anxiety you may be facing and continue to foster your ability to adapt to this (relatively) new and pervasive type of anxiety.
Talk About It
Any type of anxiety can often make us feel like we’re the only ones struggling with rumination or intrusive thoughts. In all cases, and in the case of climate anxiety in particular, this is not true! There are plenty of people - most likely some of the people closest to you - who are struggling with the same feelings about the climate crisis. So, talk about it! Share some of your fears with a friend or loved one. They very likely share similar feelings, and even if they don’t, it may feel therapeutic to speak some of what’s happening in your head out loud. Try not to suffer with climate anxiety in isolation!
2. Limit Your Social Media & News Consumption
You may have heard this a million times already, but I’m going to say it again for emphasis: try your best to set up systems to limit your social media and news consumption. There are settings and apps on your electronic devices that can help with this if it’s feeling too hard to stick to time limits on your own. It may also be helpful to limit discussion about climate change if it’s something that comes up in your social settings a lot - feel free to set boundaries for yourself if you have friends who tend to talk excessively about climate change or in a way that fosters additional anxiety for you. This could just look like changing the subject after a certain amount of time, or communicating to friends that you’ve been struggling with rumination about climate and would appreciate talking about some other topics. Whatever works for you - but try to put into place some systems or concrete ways to limit consumption or discussion about the climate crisis in order to make space in your mind for other topics and parts of your life.
3. Go For A Mindful Nature Walk
Much of what you may ruminate about in relation to the climate crisis is how our world is on the decline, and that we may not have access to nature or resources anymore. But these thoughts can slowly drag us out of reality of what our climate and environment actually offers, in the here and now. This is a good time to practice mindfulness. Take some time to unplug from your phone, and go for a mindful nature walk. This could just be around your neighborhood, or you could travel to a hiking/walking destination - whatever makes most sense for you. As you walk, try to notice ten or so things that you appreciate or find beautiful about your surroundings. You may notice a pretty flower, the way that the breeze grazes your skin, a type of tree you haven’t seen before, or even a cute squirrel running across the path. Whatever it is that you notice, try your best to be in the moment during your walk and really take notice of what your natural surroundings do have to offer. You may want to take a small notebook and pen with you so you can jot down the things you’re noticing and appreciating, so when challenging thoughts about the climate come up at another time, you can refer back to it to self-soothe.
4. Celebrate The Climate Wins
There are so many climate-focused organizations, community and grassroot groups, and (not enough, sure, but still some) politicians who are attempting and succeeding in making strides toward a more sustainable future and have actually made some progress. When you’re struggling with climate anxiety, it may feel difficult to acknowledge these wins when they feel like tiny steps in a marathon - but a win is a win! It’s important to acknowledge and celebrate the wins in order to keep going. So when you learn or hear about a positive step in reducing the climate crisis, take some time to feel happy or proud instead of overlooking it and focusing on the progress that hasn’t yet been made.
5. Find Community & Take (Manageable) Action!
Sometimes, the worst part about something like climate anxiety is the feeling of helplessness: it may seem like it’s such a massive problem that there’s simply nothing you can do - and that may make the anxious thoughts come back two-fold. If you’re feeling helpless or stuck in inaction, then try getting involved! There are many grassroots and community-based groups or organizations who are focusing on the climate crisis and are always looking for volunteers, interns, employees, or advocates. Social media is actually a great way to find groups or orgs in your local area (one of the ways that you can use social media to actually help reduce your anxiety and loneliness). Reach out and get involved - this is a great way not only to take action that may help assuage your feelings of helplessness, but also to build community with others who have similar passions and values. Remember: there’s no need to quit your job and fling yourself into climate-related advocacy full-time - small and manageable actions built into your daily life is an incredibly effective way to contribute!