Anxiety over environmental degradation or ecological catastrophe is known as eco-anxiety. If a person is living in chronic fear of environmental damage and destruction, they might be suffering from eco-anxiety, also known as climate-change anxiety.
Did you know that an increase in water and hunger crises, ocean acidification, and the increasing spread of pathogens are just a few of the indirect consequences of climate change?
Our actions have altered the Earth’s climatic conditions, and the repercussions are becoming painfully visible.
People who suffer from eco-anxiety may also suffer from anxiety symptoms overall.
A loss of important locations may have an impact on certain people. Lack of work stability or danger to one’s livelihood, for example, can have serious mental health consequences.
The cause of chronic or severe stress can raise the risk of several significant health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and depression.
Who gets affected?
Environmental factors may put the following persons at a higher risk of physical and mental health problems:
– Indigenous communities
– Low-income families or those with a poor socioeconomic status
– Young children, teenagers, and older adults
– First responders in the event of a natural disaster
– People with pre-existing medical problems or mental illnesses (like anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, or severe depressive disorder)
What are the symptoms?
Eco-anxiety lacks precise diagnostic criteria, since it is not classified as a diagnosable mental disease by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
There are numerous ways climate change might impair mental wellbeing, according to research. If any of the following apply to you, you may be suffering from eco-anxiety:
– Feeling powerless
– Unhealthy coping mechanisms
– Panic attacks
– Physical symptoms (difficulty concentrating, unexplained muscle pains, digestive problems, insomnia, restlessness, excessive sweating, frequent headaches, racing heart, trembling/shaking)
To summarize, eco-anxiety is fear for the future of the Earth and the life it supports. It’s easy to get discouraged when you hear bad news about the environment.
It’s fine to be sad, upset, frustrated, or despondent about situations that are beyond your control. If environmental issues are interfering with your everyday life, you should seek advice from a mental health professional.
Also published here.