Eco Anxiety: About the fear of ruin

Today I want to talk about “eco anxiety” – and no, that doesn’t mean the fear of eco-friendly products ) clarify. First, a little anecdote from my own life:

A few weeks ago I was sitting with my girls in the evening. We were a little nervous since we hadn't seen each other for so long. The conversations just flowed out of us - after all, we had a lot to tell each other. When we finally got around to talking about the books we were currently reading, a friend suddenly blurted out:

"Guys, you HAVE to read 'The Story of Water'! Ever since I read it, I've barely been able to sleep peacefully..." What she meant, as she explained to us, was that since then, she's been constantly thinking about the fact that all of our lives could be completely turned upside down in a very short space of time. She feared the floods discussed in the book as a result of climate change and the resulting struggles for food and survival. 

After she roughly described the contents of the book to us, we all became entangled in the climate catastrophe issue and slipped into an increasingly dystopian worldview: “It's definitely going to happen the same way…” “It's best we start stockpiling our food now…” “I'd rather not even think about it. Oh God!”
At this point I also really felt the so-called “eco anxiety” for the first time. Since then she has accompanied me almost every day...

What the term is all about

In the Anglo-American world, “eco anxiety” is already a coined term. Personally, in this country I have rarely heard anyone say that they are “eco-afraid” (admittedly, that sounds a bit stupid at first, doesn’t it?). Wikipedia defines eco anxiety like this: 

"Eco-anxiety is anxiety about ecological disasters and threats to the natural environment such as pollution and climate change. Variations to the definition exist such as the broader description explaining it as the 'worry or agitation caused by concerns about the present and future state of the environment.'"

Freely translated into German:

"Eco-anxiety is the fear of ecological disasters and threats to the environment, such as pollution and climate change. Variations on this definition view eco-anxiety more broadly; as 'worry or agitation due to concerns about the present and future state of the environment'."

The term describes nothing more than a phenomenon that many of us are familiar with and gives it a name. This phenomenon is certainly nothing new. There have certainly been people throughout human history who have feared ecological catastrophes. And yet the term is very topical: In times of plastic oceans, zero-waste efforts and “Fridays For Future” (to name a prime example), many can identify with this fear. 

A new term – so what now?

What does it mean for us that this term is increasingly being used? First of all, it becomes clear that the consequences of climate change are not only limited to the environment and our earth. Our mental health is also affected. This can happen directly or indirectly:

Direct effects on mental health

We already know that experiencing extreme weather conditions is a risk factor for developing mental health disorders. Long-lasting natural disasters such as earthquakes can often lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since there are currently increasing numbers of natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes or fires, more and more people are losing their homes, loved ones or their entire existence. This means that more and more people are more susceptible to developing a mental disorder - such as PTSD or depression.

Indirect effects on mental health

Indirect effects of the climate catastrophe manifest themselves, for example, in eco-anxiety: Even people who are not directly affected by a natural disaster are seriously worried about the state of the world and can get into a spiral of fear from which it is difficult to escape. The focus is often on an apocalyptic image of our planet, coupled with fear of the future and the worry that it might already be too late. Parents of young children also often experience eco-anxiety: On the one hand, they feel the pressure to teach their child values ​​such as environmental protection and sustainability. On the other hand, they worry about the state of the planet and the world they will leave to their children.

Clinical relevance

Anyone who takes the climate catastrophe seriously probably knows this fear in some form. For most of us, however, the hope that we can change something outweighs the issue. Eco-fear alternates with other topics and thoughts. It exists, but it does not control us. 

But a few are swallowed up by this fear: an upward spiral develops and everyday life is dominated by fear. Consequences can include persistent anxiety, panic attacks and depression. There are now even some therapists who specialize in this form of anxiety disorder...

Of course, we don't want to hope that eco anxiety will spread - whether as “everyday anxiety” or as a serious disorder. The fact is, however, that the climate catastrophe will also put a psychological strain on us sooner or later. One more reason to take environmental protection seriously! 

You will find out how you can deal with the fear of an environmental disaster and its consequences and what you can do to reduce your worries here.

If you would like to find out more about the environment and sustainability, mindfulness or healthy eating, take a look here over.

Are you sometimes afraid of what will happen to us as a result of climate change? If so, what are your concerns? How do you deal with this fear? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!