Climate Anxiety / Eco Anxiety
In recent years, the escalating concerns over climate change and environmental degradation have given rise to a specific form of distress known as climate anxiety or eco anxiety. This emotional response is increasingly prevalent among individuals worldwide, including in Ireland, where the impacts of climate change are becoming more visible and immediate. Eco-anxiety encapsulates the fear, sadness, and guilt associated with the observed and anticipated effects of environmental crises on our planet and future generations.
Climate anxiety is characterized by chronic fear of environmental doom. Unlike general anxiety, which can be vague and unfocused, eco anxiety is directly related to concerns about the environment and the overwhelming sense of helplessness in the face of climate change. This condition reflects a deep care for the earth and distress over habitats destroyed, species lost, and the uncertain future of humanity. Symptoms of eco anxiety can range from mild unease about the future to severe anxiety that interferes with daily functioning. Common signs include overwhelming worry about climate change, feelings of helplessness or despair, existential anxiety, guilt over personal environmental impacts, difficulty planning for the future, and even physical symptoms such as insomnia or panic attacks.
Climate anxiety, while a challenging and often distressing response to the global environmental crisis, also underscores a deep commitment to the planet and its future. By acknowledging these feelings, taking practical steps to mitigate their impact, and seeking support when needed, individuals can navigate through eco anxiety more effectively. Ultimately, channeling anxiety into action can not only help alleviate personal distress but also contribute to broader environmental conservation efforts. Other tips to mitigate it can include engaging in sustainable practices, fostering a deeper connection with nature as a regular practice or speaking with a professional about these concerns. As we continue to face these challenges, it’s essential to remember that hope lies in action, and collective efforts can lead to meaningful change.
Climate Anxiety / Eco Anxiety
When a problem with anxiety develops it takes our perfectly natural evolutionary defence system and hijacks it so that we become generally anxious, socially anxious, phobic, obsessive compulsive, traumatised after an event (PTSD) or suffer from sudden panic attacks. We might also suffer from climate anxiety, relationship anxiety, health anxiety or existential anxiety.
Our therapists who work with climate anxiety are Michael Ledden, Tara Morrissey, Sarah Keena and Sinead O’Hare.
Getting Help
Thousands of people in Ireland suffer in silence with many kinds of difficulties yet eco anxiety is probably one of the fastest growing types of anxiety in Ireland. Climate anxiety doesn’t become a huge debilitating problem overnight but over time it digs itself into us so that we’re paralysed. Often when we really notice it, it has really set in and we can feel like we’ve gone crazy.
Early intervention or even crisis intervention counselling/psychotherapy is way of giving sufferers back control over their thoughts and ultimately how they feel.
Anxiety Ireland has fully trained counsellors nationwide on standby to assist you in taking back control of these problems.
Our network of counsellors are working online, over the phone and in person to offer interventions for the specific treatment of anxiety. Feel free to get in touch today or arrange a free suitability call.
Symptoms
- Persistent Worry about the future state of the environment
- Feelings of Helplessness
- Guilt over not doing more
- Anger and Frustration at governments and corporations
- Sadness and Grief for nature and future generations
- Anxiety and Panic Attack
- Difficulty Concentrating on other things
- Sleep Disturbances and nightmares
- Differences with those who don’t get the seriousness of climate change
“It felt like I was seeing the world in black and white… like I was wearing dark glasses that constantly cast a shadow on everything I could see. All the colour and happiness in my life had been sucked away by the GAD and depression which had consumed my life. I felt like I could never break free and that I would be stuck in this miserable existence for the rest of my life.”
Anonymous
“I thought I was going mad. No one else around me seemed to understand what I was going though. I felt so alone. I couldn’t seem to stop worrying about everything. I knew in my head it didn’t make sense, but nothing I could do would stop the thoughts that kept coming into my head and driving me crazy.”
Anonymous
“For me anxiety feels like a fear that I’m gonna mess up. Fear that I won’t be able to equal what others do with ease (looks like they do it with ease anyway!). An irritable kind of feeling… fearing that I’m not going to be able to handle things. This made me feel things must be a certain way or going right. If not, I get out of my comfort zone and am therefore in a ‘un-safe zone’.”
Anonymous