Ecological anxiety

Ecological anxiety—also often referred to as eco-anxiety—is an intense and prolonged worry about the impact of climate change on our environment, communities, and the future. Symptoms of ecological anxiety can arise after a person directly experiences a severe weather event, such as a fire, flood, or hurricane. They can also occur as a result of vicarious trauma, when a person is meaningfully impacted by climate events happening in the wider world around them. Those experiencing ecological anxiety may struggle with depression, anxiety, substance dependency, PTSD, and/or survivor’s guilt.

One helpful way to think about ecological anxiety is through Dan Siegel’s theory of the window of tolerance. Siegel suggests that each person has a window of optimal arousal—when they remain in this range, they can manage their emotions and effectively handle everyday stressors. However, when someone is tipped out of their window of tolerance they can move into hyper-arousal, becoming fearful, flooded, anxious, or angry. They can also experience hypo-arousal, dissociating, numbing out, or freezing. Due to the magnitude and complexity of the climate crisis, people can easily be pushed beyond their window of tolerance. In these instances, tools like mindfulness, grounding, breathing, and cognitive restructuring can help a person’s capacity for self-regulation.

The impacts of the climate crisis on a person’s mental health can be the result of a direct experience of climate related extremes, or may also arise from the vicarious trauma of witnessing extreme events as they happen in the wider world around us. Those experiencing ecological grief and anxiety may struggle with depression, anxiety, substance abuse/dependency, PTSD, and/or survivor’s guilt. This is where psychotherapy with Self and Other can be helpful. In response to this ongoing crisis, we must give ourselves time to process the range of grief responses that may be evoked, including anger, denial, hopelessness, guilt, and solastalgia . Because humans are deeply connected to their natural world, grief is a common response to environmental change and ecological loss. One challenge we face is maintaining awareness of what is happening while not getting hijacked by distress or negative thought patterns.

Supporting Clients with Eco-Anxiety

Often, the experience of ecological anxiety is multi-faceted. Most clients report feeling disempowered—there is a sense of smallness, a perception that they can’t make a meaningful contribution to a cause they care so deeply about. Many wrestle with the reality that the climate crisis is a social justice issue, recognizing systemic inequities in who can access resources to keep themselves physically safe. Others experience a deep sense of grief around environmental change and ecological loss. These are all logical responses to profoundly distressing circumstances—the key is to hold an awareness of what is happening while building resilience and maintaining psychological safety.

Viktor Frankl wrote extensively about the ways instilling meaning in life events—no matter how bleak—can transform suffering. This is sage advice in the face of ecological anxiety. When it comes to processing the climate crisis, many have found solace in identifying ways to make a difference. This process is highly personal, but can include volunteering, engaging in community organizing, making a financial donation, learning sustainable farming practices, or changing consumer habits. No matter a person’s approach, research has suggested that “taking collective action may act as a buffer against climate anxiety.”

How can Self and Other help with Ecological Anxiety?

In response to the ongoing climate crisis, it is important that people take time and space to process their full range of emotional responses—including anger, denial, hopelessness, guilt, and solastalgia. Our clinicians are trained to support those experiencing ecological anxiety; schedule a free consultation today.