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How does climate anxiety feel?

As ecosystems strain under extreme weather, seasonal patterns tip off-kilter, and researchers deliver dire reports, people around the world are beginning to share a collective dread about the planet’s future. This dread has a name: climate anxiety.

So, what is climate anxiety? Also called “climate change anxiety” or “eco anxiety,” the term refers to all the ways in which the current climate crisis affects how we think and feel. It can manifest as sadness, anger, obsessive worry, despair, and other uncomfortable experiences.

Anxiety and other forms of distress related to climate change should not be seen as a manifestation of mental illness. They are a natural response to the profound threat facing our planet and way of life. In fact, the true psychological dysfunction we face is large-scale climate change denial.

The most recent climate report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) painted a sobering picture of current and future consequences, including extensive changes to ecosystems, impacts on food and water security, eroding coastlines, an increase in extreme weather events, and population migration away from vulnerable areas. Long term, many species on our planet could face extinction and millions more people could be displaced as the climate grows more unstable. Today’s climate change mitigation measures will determine the severity of these potential outcomes.

Even reading about these threats can evoke distress and bring up an urge to avoid or look away. Of course, it’s easy to see how doing that will only exacerbate and prolong the problem. As individuals and as a society, we need to develop our capacity to tolerate the uncomfortable emotions stemming from this crisis in order to focus our efforts on mitigating it.

Dealing with climate anxiety isn’t just about fearing the future. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the physical repercussions of climate change can directly affect human psychology. Severe weather events like floods, droughts, and storms upend lives and cause trauma. Extreme heat events have been associated with everything from increased violence to increased suicide risk. Food and water scarcity create a host of psychological stressors, as does forced migration. Humanity is battling immediate threats and ambiguous long-term threats at the same time.

Populations especially impacted by climate anxiety

Some groups suffer from eco anxiety at higher rates, including young people, who will spend their adult years living with the consequences of today’s environmental decisions. In a Lancet survey of 10,000 youth ages 16-25 from all over the world, more than 80 percent had anxiety about climate change, with 59 percent feeling “very or extremely worried.”

Young people aren’t the only ones at increased risk for climate change anxiety. Poor and marginalized communities will be the first to feel the climate-related disruptions. In fact, they’re already living it.

The developing world is disproportionately impacted by displacement, food and water insecurity, disease, and economic challenges related to shifting climate conditions. Stanford University researchers found that climate change has increased economic inequality between developed and developing nations by 25 percent since 1960.

Even in developed countries, marginalized communities will feel the effects first. In the U.S., American Indians and Alaska Natives are more likely to live near rising sea levels; Latino communities are more likely to live in areas where climbing temperatures will affect daytime working hours; and Black Americans are more likely to reside in regions that will see upticks in heat-related mortality.

Although they will be the first affected, these communities are less likely to have a voice in shaping public policies. They—and many others who read this grim news—may grapple with anger and hopelessness as a result.

According to Dr. Robyn D. Walser, director of TL Psychological and Consultation Services and assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley, climate anxiety feels like “a mix of dread and anger—dread about what’s happening and anger about what is perceived as a lack of caring.” 

Anna*, an analyst at a California open space planning district, says, “When I experienced climate change anxiety, I felt a distinct frustration with everyone around me who wasn’t doing everything in their power—going vegan, zero waste, etc.—to stop this. And I recognized that that wasn’t fair.” 

People often report the following feelings related to climate change: 

In the Lancet survey, more than 45 percent of youth reported negative effects on their daily functioning and 75 percent saw the future as frightening. All of these responses are normal and valid. That being said, there are effective strategies for coping with these emotions, and it’s important to seek mental health care if they impact daily functioning.

How to deal with climate anxiety

Dealing with climate anxiety requires us to notice and acknowledge our feelings. Pushing away emotions or trying to “fix” them can lead to bigger problems such as mental exhaustion and poor physical health.

Name your anxiety, validate it, and then channel that energy into making a difference. Here are some steps you can take to turn climate anxiety into action.

Tap into compassion

Acknowledge the suffering caused by climate change and commit to doing your part to alleviate it. Cultivate compassion for others and for yourself.

Practice acceptance

We can’t change the past. The climate crisis has begun. As challenging as it is, we need to accept that reality and decide how to move forward in light of it.

Connect with caring

Allow yourself to feel sadness, anger, grief, and anxiety. Remember that you feel these things because you care about the world and its inhabitants. In order to rid yourself of these emotions, you would have to cut yourself off from your natural instinct to care for others.

Get involved

Join an organization or activist group committed to fighting climate change. 

Talk to friends and family

Share your feelings with people who care about you. They can validate you and provide love and camaraderie on difficult days. You also encourage collective action by educating them on the crisis.

Get outside

Spending time outdoors brings many psychological benefits, so take up an enjoyable activity like walking, biking, or gardening. Appreciating nature can also remind you of the beauty of our planet and offer motivation to push for continued change.

Monitor your media intake

It’s important to stay informed, but that doesn’t mean you must go down the “rabbit hole” of doomsday headlines and catastrophizing. The news media generally reports on the negative effects of climate change but often overlooks the stories of the people and organizations fighting against it. Take Mr. Rogers’ timeless advice and “look for the helpers.”

Find community

Seek out people who share your concern for our planet. You can bear witness to each other’s pain, offer support at difficult moments, and share solutions and good news.

Remember that the onus is not just on the individual

Dr. Walser explains, “Me putting my plastic bottles in the recycle bin is not going to make a big enough difference. What we need to do is stop making plastic.” Focus your efforts on advocating for broad-scale change. 

According to Anna, a significant step in coping with climate change anxiety was understanding the limits of her influence when it came to such a large-scale need for change. She says, “That’s why I chose to work in a field that considered and analyzed how greater policy changes could impact this issue.” 

How can workplaces help employees with climate crisis anxiety?

Offer resources

As with any source of employee stress, the best response from an employer is first and foremost to offer resources that can help, such as comprehensive mental health benefits. This is critically important because climate change requires collective action, which means a large number of people need emotional support to move past despair and into action.

Acknowledge the problem

This builds psychological safety so employees can share how eco anxiety affects them and seek help. When your workplace proactively acknowledges the crisis, you send the message to employees that their response to climate change is rational given the high stakes, and that the problem is a collective, societal issue.

Create a policy

If you haven’t already, create an environmental policy for your organization, and include your employees’ ideas so they feel ownership in moving toward a goal. If your organization already has an environmental policy or goal in place, make sure it is publicized and that employees receive periodic updates about it.

Host an awareness event

Take your climate awareness a step further and host a climate expert or advocacy group to answer questions your employees might have. Information is power, and those who work for you will appreciate the chance to voice their concerns to experts.

How mental health providers can help clients with climate anxiety

Mental health providers play a pivotal role in guiding people through climate change anxiety. Here are a few ways to do this:

Practice self-care

Therapists, counselors, and other mental health providers may have their own fears about climate change. It’s important to acknowledge and respond to those feelings so you can better help clients. Consider sharing your feelings about the climate crisis with your clients as a way to validate and humanize their experience. 

Focus on empowerment

It’s a natural impulse to want to “fix” unpleasant emotions, but the healthiest approach is often to help empower clients to take action in their lives. Anxiety is rational when faced with a crisis of this magnitude, and taking action against the threat is an effective way to channel those emotions.

Consider eco anxiety as a form of complex trauma

Unlike a single-event trauma, the trauma of climate change is ongoing. We face repeated exposure through headlines, extreme weather events, climate reports, and other triggers. On top of that, the scale of climate change is above what we’re wired to handle. Human emotions were developed to respond to short-term threats. When a threat drags on, especially if the outcome is nebulous, it can be much more difficult to cope. 

The truth is, no one fully knows how climate change and mitigation measures will affect the world in our lifetime, and that is a true cause for concern. This type of complex trauma is difficult to treat, so give your clients (and yourself) grace if the process of dealing with climate anxiety is rocky.

Notice your own avoidance

If you avoid your own feelings about climate change, you diminish your capacity to help others with theirs. Be aware if you’re trying to minimize uncomfortable thoughts or feelings.

What many clients want is someone to sit with them in their grief, sadness, and anger, before they work on a solution. Approach climate anxiety treatment in two stages.

  1. Validate and normalize the client’s feelings first. “You feel upset about this because you care about our planet and other people. Your pain is rooted in compassion. That’s a very positive quality.”
  2. Move from despair to action. “How can we hold onto that compassion without becoming bogged down in hopelessness? Often the best way to get unstuck is to take action.”

Collective action in response to climate anxiety

With climate change anxiety, collective action is the best medicine—for the planet and for the people who live here. It’s critical to recognize the pain of eco anxiety so we can transform it into actions that breed hope for change. Burying the pain solves neither the threat nor the long-term emotional struggle.

Lyra can help. We offer comprehensive mental health care with support, tools, and resources for employees, organizations, and providers. We offer culturally responsive, high-quality care with providers who can address the full range of mental health concerns, including climate change anxiety. Contact Lyra today to learn more.

 

CONTACT US
If you’d like help connecting with a therapist or mental health coach, Lyra can assist you. You can get started today if Lyra is offered by your employer. Sign up now.

If you’re a mental health professional and want to explore joining the Lyra network, learn more about how we work with providers and apply today.

And check in frequently here or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for more insights into optimal well-being.

Lyra’s second annual Breakthrough conference was an enormous success, with over 2,000 registrants coming together to reimagine mental health. We heard from HR and benefits leaders, benefits consultants, and Lyra experts on top-of-mind issues for mental health in the workplace. You can access direct insights and strategies from these leaders through our on-demand content, linked below.

Below are key takeaways from the event:

1. Mental wellness is not only a product of each individual’s capabilities and resilience, but also their environment

Lyra’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Connie Chen, was joined by VP of Clinical Care, Alethea Varra, and Senior Director of Workforce Transformation, Dr. Joe Grasso, to talk about how Lyra provides services that address the holistic view of workforce mental health. (Watch now)

2. HR teams are playing a more proactive role in the workplace

Leaders from Airbnb, Coeur Mining, and Flywire discussed the evolution of their work and how the COVID-19 pandemic put HR leaders in the driver’s seat for key business decisions. (Watch now)

3. Investing in workforce mental health has a measurable financial impact that helps companies meet their strategic goals

Leaders from Aon and Lyra explored how employers can start measuring ROI and see improvements like lower medical claims costs, better employee retention, reductions in presenteeism and absenteeism, and better brand reputation. (Watch now)

4. Resilient employees are the foundation of a mentally well workforce and sustainable business

Well-being leaders from Cargill and Lululemon shared strategies for helping employees build resilience, which ultimately helped them adapt to a constantly changing world over the past few years. (Watch now)

5. Preventing burnout is key to attracting and retaining employees

Leaders from PatientPoint and Providence Health discussed approaches to tackle workforce burnout and spur “the Great Return” of workers. (Watch now)

6. Creating a culture of inclusivity and confidentiality around high-acuity needs like substance use and thoughts of suicide encourages people to reach out for help

Leaders from Cummins, Rogers Behavioral Health, and Mercer examined how organizations can start destigmatizing these topics. (Watch now)

7. Culturally responsive care helps employees—particularly those from historically marginalized communities—feel more connected in the workplace

Leaders from Asurion and the Catalight Foundation discussed their experiences with culturally responsive care and why every organization should prioritize it as a part of their mental health care solution. (Watch now)

8. Supporting employees also means supporting the well-being of their entire family structure

Leaders from Morgan Stanley and Willis Towers Watson shared their perspectives on the employer’s responsibility to support family mental health. (Watch now)

9. Mental health care quality matters, but it’s not a given.

Access to care only matters if the care delivers results. Lyra’s VP of Clinical Care discussed the questions to ask to determine if a mental health partner will provide meaningful and lasting results. (Watch now)

Learn about these key points and more in up-coming and on-demand featured events. Visit our Breakthrough page to see more highlights and stay in the loop on next year’s conference! We thank you for attending Breakthrough this year, and are looking forward to seeing you again!

 

CONTACT US
If you want help connecting with a coach or therapist, Lyra can assist you. You can get started today if Lyra is offered by your employer. Sign up now.

For employers who want to learn more about the value and impact of a mental health benefit, download our white paper or get in touch.

And check in frequently here or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for more insights into supporting employees’ mental health.

Like other cultures, millions of Asian American people have mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. However, due to systemic barriers and stigma, research shows that members of the Asian American community are three times less likely than other racial groups to seek help. In 2019, just 23 percent of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) with mental health issues sought treatment. When challenges are left untreated, people’s symptoms may worsen and contribute to a poor quality of life. 

Furthermore, world events have exacerbated Asian American mental health challenges. The pandemic brought a perfect storm of distressing factors: Asian American-owned businesses were hit hard during the pandemic’s economic downturn. At the same time, political attacks against China following the emergence of the coronavirus led to increased race-based discrimination, harassment, and violence against Asian American people.

The diversity of the AAPI community

It’s important to remember that the Asian American community is not a monolith, and neither is Asian mental health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, AAPI communities consist of about 50 ethnic groups speaking over 100 languages, with connections to Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Hawaiian, and other Asian and Pacific Islander ancestries.

Given the diversity of this community, it’s important to avoid generalizations about the Asian American community and mental health, and hold space for differing experiences within individual communities. For example, research surveying Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) found a higher prevalence of mental health disorders than overall AAPI rates, likely due to historical traumatization, with 35 percent of NHPI respondents reporting the need for mental health services compared to 17 percent of the broader group. Many times, Pacific Islanders do not identify as Asian, and being lumped into the term AAPI may not fully encompass their lived experience. 

Barriers to mental health in the Asian American community

A mix of systemic and cultural barriers makes it difficult for many Asian American people to seek mental health support. Here are some common barriers to mental health in Asian American cultures:

Lack of culturally competent mental health providers

It can be difficult for Asian American people to find mental health providers of the same race or ethnicity. Racial and ethnic populations only represent one-sixth of psychologists, even though these communities represent closer to 40 percent of the U.S. population. 

The United States’ relatively lax attitude toward multilingual learning means it also can be difficult for non-English speakers to find providers who are fluent in their language. About one-third of the overall AAPI American population is not fluent in English, though this number varies by subgroup and age group. 

In addition, many mental health providers aren’t educated in non-western medicine, and may not understand their clients’ approach to mental wellness. Traditional as well as indigenous medicinal practices are important to many members of the AAPI community, and finding a mental health provider who is respectful of and knowledgeable about these practices can be challenging.

Lack of health insurance

AAPI subgroups face varying levels of economic stability and insurance coverage. Even with the Affordable Care Act, financial hardship can put health coverage out of reach for families and individuals. Even those with insurance may find it hard to access mental health treatment, due to a shortage of qualified providers, long wait times, and other challenges. 

Inadequate research

A lack of research has left mental health professionals largely in the dark about the rates of mental illness among some AAPI subgroups. These subgroups may have very different outlooks, cultural stressors, generational trauma, and religious beliefs affecting their mental health.

The “model minority” myth

The stereotype of the “model minority” paints Asian American people as exceptionally successful within American society due to their special intelligence and work ethic. Besides being a backhanded dig at other minority groups, who are seen as less industrious and cooperative than the “model” group, this harmful myth prevents the recognition of the struggles and needs of AAPI individuals. Employers, friends, health care providers, and even mental health professionals may see members of the Asian American community as well-off and accomplished, and miss signs of distress. Breaking down the data within the AAPI community can help illuminate the unique challenges facing each subgroup.

Mental health stigma in Asian American communities

In many Asian cultures, mental health disorders are thought to reflect poorly on family lineage and suitability for marriage. This can create mental health stigma, possibly causing Asian American populations to feel shame about their illness or feel obligated to hide their pain. With that in mind, Asian American people may be more likely to report physical symptoms like headaches or dizziness than emotional ones, such as sadness or worry. In addition, traditional values that hold family obligations in high regard may place more pressure on this demographic. 

Religious and spiritual beliefs

Religious diversity flourishes within the AAPI community, which encompasses Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and members of many other faiths. While faith can be a source of deep comfort and stability, it can also be a source of pain if a religious community blames mental illness on sin, divine punishment, a lack of belief, or personal dysfunction or imbalance. Because faith communities offer strong social support, these beliefs can add to mental health stigma in Asian American communities.

Mental health in Asian American men vs. women

Mental health conditions may have different causes and/or manifest differently for AAPI men and women. For example, Asian American women’s mental health may be impacted in the following ways:

In general, Asian American men are less likely than their female counterparts to seek mental health support. As with women, gender-related factors contribute.

The importance of culturally responsive care

Culture impacts mental health in profound ways, but isn’t always accounted for in mental health treatment. Culturally responsive care addresses this gap by teaching mental health providers to intentionally and consistently see, respect, and celebrate the aspects that make each person unique. Culturally responsive care stresses that the context of an individual’s background will impact their perception of the world and of current events—and therefore needs to be considered when providing treatment. 

Culturally responsive care helps people feel more comfortable getting mental health support and stay engaged in treatment. It also improves communication, motivation, and openness, and makes the experience of receiving care more satisfying for patients.

Culturally competent mental health providers:

With care tailored to their needs and experiences, along with proactive efforts to combat stigma, the Asian American and Pacific Islander community can receive effective care that improves their well-being and quality of life.