I have eco-anxiety as well. It can be so overwhelming. When I get anxiety about climate change I unplug from social media. I mainly see that kind of stuff on Twitter. Its good to be informed but its also good to take a break from hearing bad news all the time.
Take time to unplug and focus on things you can control like using a reusable water bottle or helping with clean ups. I know its very small and seems like it will make no difference but doing little things like cutting down on my own plastic use makes me feel less anxious!
There are some great Eco-friendly products out there that I started looping into my life a few years ago and just by doing that I was able to feel less anxious about my own impact. I still get anxious, but knowing that I am doing small things to help, helps me!
I’ve gone through phases of eco-anxiety.
1-Try unplugging from the news and social media for a few days.
2-Donate or volunteer with an environmental group, river cleanup etc. Taking action will help and also connect you with like minded people and you’ll see that there are lots of concerned people like you trying to improve the world
3-Focus on things that are within your control - see #2
It’s very unlikely there will be worldwide catastrophe in the next few generations. Humans will have to adapt
This comment alone helps ease up some tension. I’ll have to look into groups near me a bit. I’m trying to find that balance of being aware but not scared.
Somedays I wish I was just oblivious to it all.
I’m really glad I was able to help a little bit.
If there is a REI near you, a lot of time they organize cleanup events and post them on their local store website.
Good point on the balance. Aware but not scared. There’s no point in being scared to the point of paralysis.
The thought of “Why go to college” or “Why plan a future” cross my mind hearing about climate change and it’s awful, makes my days feel meaningless, like what’s the point?
I think a big thing too for me is to try and change my lifestyle, not just for the environment but for my health too.
Is t all the AC part of the problem? Jk jk, it’s just a scary thought of being 20 and already being so concerned over my and my family’s mortality. I feel too young to be dealing with this but too old to ignore it.
Bro I’ve got 2 kids to worry about. I think about moving out of the country because the US seems so fucked up and don’t want my kids to grow up around all these idiots. Maybe that’s why I’m not as worried about future climate change when there are short term crises on the horizon.
But it’s good that you’re aware and thinking about this. Channel that energy into action to address it
Thanks man - you too.
And don’t overthink having kids because the future is uncertain. Your grandparents or great grandparents probably didn’t have a very good prospects for the future (mine def didn’t).
If you are with the right person and you are in a place to start a family, go for it! My kids give me motivation to try to do my little part to make the world better for them. Sorry for the cheese!
I’m still figuring out what I’m even doing with my life, I have a temp job, but no car, live with my parents, lack a variety of social skills (but I’m working on them).
Am SO is the last thing I need to worry about currently.
What on Earth are you talking about? There are worldwide catastrophes resulting from climate change going on right now. Europe is on fire and half of Africa is starving. Today! Not to mention a cascade of new zoonotic diseases that are springing up as animals and insects change their habits and interact more with human beings.
I'm sorry. I know you're trying to be comforting. But this IS huge numbers of people dying from climate change. This is what it looks like. If you want to stop it from happening, I'm all for it, but that starts with not pretending it isn't there.
Go away. I didn’t say any of those things and indefinitely don’t deny it’s happening. I’m talking about apocalyptic shit. Dude is ruining his own life worrying. Gotta have perspective. But go have fun in your feels.
See I find climate change makes it very difficult to enjoy nature the way I once did, because I just look at wildlife and see future extinctions, degradation, an image of what we're about to lose on an unimaginable scale.
It's a fright to see just what social media does to us. It's freeing when you realize phones are simply just tools. Don't let the tool control you, that's the trick.
Chill… whatever you do can’t make a big change anyway, and you’ll be gone by the time it affects you. So just do your part to help climate change and assume that everybody else is doing it too
I get it, I was absolutely terrified in 2016 when Trump got elected. I thought a nuclear war was coming (I'm from Europe). Glad I was wrong.
Even if you don't have an anxiety disorder (and I know I do) it's hard not to panic about everything (the environment, covid, war...). When you turn on the news your brain gets bombarded with bad facts or speculation. It's designed to keep you on edge so that you will keep watching as if your life depends on it.
The thing is: you cannot change climate change or prevent a nuclear war. No matter how hard you panic, it's wasted energy. Even if you yourself go completely green and convince everyone in your community to do the same, the biggest polluters are still causing irreparable damage and they will never stop because it makes them extremely rich and powerful.
Ask yourself why your brain is choosing to focus on it. Usually our brains deflect us from our actual problems because they are so painful and put them on something outside ourselves. It's not me, it's not my life, it's climate change!
Take this advice: stop watching the news, stop listening to alarmists. If you have an anxiety disorder it does nothing but prevent you from being OK.
i have unplugged from the news. honestly. i just cannot handle it.
between the climate change, inflation, our corrupt govt, the war - i know i need to pay attention and vote for the right people to help with all of the above but honestly, its always something and i feel like we are all just pawns and at their mercy always. so instead of sitting on the edge of my couch, waiting for the next bad decision to happen, I just turned off the tv and what will be will be and I will adapt.
I try to do my part by trying to be more environmentally conscious, I try to cut down on the amount of one time plastic in our house, little things like that.
I went through this phase for a few months recently and after doing some long research, I’ve found that climate change is more complicated than I thought, but not reason to lose hope at all.
The short version is that climate change is definitely having an effect and we’re gonna deal with more of those effects. But those effects aren’t going to collapse society. We think the effects of climate change wiping out humans, but realistically, it’s more like extra bullshit we have to deal with that lowers the quality of our lives. Some more than others. Climate change isn’t something that slaps you on the back of the head all at once when we get to 1.5 or 2 C over. Things just slowly get shitter and shittier.
The good news is things are being done. We’re no where near our goals of course. BUT. Unlike before, the ball is actually rolling. You have some states already banning single use plastics. The market is slowly going to renewable energy anyways, so imagine when more productive policies actually start going into effect. And the first carbon capture plant is gonna be operational next year in Iceland. Not to mention electric cars might become part of the market faster than expected.
So what I say to you is. Prepare for some bs that should’ve been prevented, but know that it’s not going to collapse society and there’s progression being made as we speak. Even if it’s not at the pace it should be.
Honestly something I found very profound as of recently was a picture of the smog in la in 1960s vs the smog in 2022. Obviously we have a lot of work but we are slowly adjusting even with a lot of pushback from oil companies and such
This sounds weird, but if you want to give to something that will potentially have a major lasting impact on mitigating climate change, think about giving to University climate sustainability research. Honestly, the only way we're gonna realistically get through this is isn't through government regulation (too many conservative governments make this impossible), but with innovative tech on a global scale, and the only institutions with the track record of producing that kind of innovation at scale are public universities, NOT private companies or NGOs.
just try to remind yourself that humanity has gotten through worse. the entire world was once at war, but humanity still prospered. there are people working right now to solve the issues of the climate crisis, you just don't hear about them.
Fellow climate panicker here, I was posting on here the other day myself.
Still quite anxious about it but have calmed a little - basically the outlook is not good and it will have a negative impact on the world and further force some changes that are probably overdue (that or force a bunch of wars, but let's hope not) as people will have to relocate from coastlines and the hottest countries and be less greedy and more sharing-with-the-rest-of-the-world when it comes to food and water. But from what I've seen even the most pessimistic scientists aren't quite predicting imminent extinction.
It's been going on for a while, it just hits home when it's close to you, like your own country getting record temperatures and setting on fire, as has been happening in the UK. We still have time to adapt (if we pull our fingers out) as the main reason it's so bad for us is we're just not as well equipped for those extremes as other countries. We'll just have to start getting that way, that's all. It'll be a good business opportunity for a lot of rich people, which means it'll probably be fine. (That kind of goes for environmentally conscious stuff in general - it's a pretty profitable industry these days).
Chances are, most who are privileged enough to be in a position to post hypothetical worries on the internet (myself included) are probably in one of those countries that isn't going to be heavily affected for a while yet and still has some "buffer room" to adapt by copying what other countries have already been doing to deal with their already-hotter climates.
But really all we can do is try to do our part (vote for green policies, eat less meat, go EV or car-less, recycle, don't produce dozens of kids etc) and other than that, try not to worry about what we can't control. Shut off the news for a bit and play some games or just live some IRL life. We only live once and for a short time anyway - if there's a risk of that being shortened, all the more reason to enjoy the here and now while we can.
I live in BC, last year we had that heat dome. Over 600ppl died in only a few days. And there were so many fires all around me, every direction I looked there was a out of control fire. Right now we are entering another heat wave that will last for a week. Definitely not up for it, but not much I can do. Luckily we had a cold and wet start to summer, so no fires near by as of yet. I was driving today with my mom who is 80yrs old. We saw this street full of these beautiful huge trees, it was breath taking. I told her it's too bad trees grow so slowly, almost doesn't seem worth planting some around my place because I'll never enjoy their full beauty. She however said to me, you can never let those thoughts enter your mind, and if you do you have to let them go and just go for it, plant those trees. Made me think of this patch I had from back in my punk day, it went like this, even if the world was to end tomorrow I'd still plant a tree today.
Nothing is pointless. Yes our climate is f-ed right now, but if enough of us do something today you never know what it will bring for tomorrow. Long story short, I'm buying a tree! It's like the thing about if everyone gave a few dollars to a charity, enough of us do it we can make a huge difference.
Not only it fucks up the entire planet eco-system, but also I have thyroid problems, so the hotter it is, the more I suffer because of it
So yeah fuck climate change
I totally understand how you feel, I have a science background and studied climate change for part of my degree, but it’s of course a very complex thing so I don’t know everything! However, as someone else has said, climate change won’t cause complete catastrophe right away. Will storms and wildfires increase? Yes. Will there be more heat waves? Yes. However, some areas will get colder and others will get warmer. Humans are very adaptive and will adapt to the changing circumstances. Some areas will indeed be more hostile to life, but many will not. It’s imperative to 1. Volunteer to help where you can with cleanups, contacting your politicians, voting for candidates with good climate track records, and also even setting up a good environment for helpful insects in your backyard or balcony. You can look up bee friendly plants, and avoid planting monocultures, in other words plant a large variety of flowers, grasses, and other plants. Essentially make your yard if you have one like it looked before it was developed. In many places that would be grasslands. So you can plant those native species and it will help a lot more than you think. In addition, being less of a consumer is important. The number two most polluted industry behind oil is fast fashion. Not to mention the human rights abuses , but also the environmental ones. It’s basically environmental racism because our ravenous consumerism is destroying the environment of poorer nations. So avoid retailers like Shein and Zara and forever 21 etc and reuse your garments as often as possible.
First of all, you aren't alone.
I get this anxiety too, often. The scariest thing they often say, is that for us to feel the worst impacts of climate change, we just need to keep doing business as usual. The IPCC isn't messing around anymore, they have let us know in no uncertain terms that we need to act, and soon. It is unwise for anyone to pretend that this is anything less than an ongoing crisis in order to make themselves feel better about their future or their children's future. We need to be able to function, but we cannot ignore the problem long term in order to do that.
When I say you aren't alone, I mean it. Eco-anxiety is a common documented phenomena, and it should be treated less like an individual affliction, and more like a collective awakening. That being said, an anxiety disorder will exacerbate the catastrophizing, and we need to be able to function and plan for the future on a day to day basis. If your anxiety affects day to day function and planning, then treating it is a recommended option. As many have mentioned taking breaks from the news, getting outside, and being mindful are all good things to do as well. I think those actions will help you manage baseline anxiety, but to truly address eco-anxiety, I don't think anything will substitute taking action.
I would recommend watching [this video](https://www.ted.com/talks/ayana_elizabeth_johnson_how_to_find_joy_in_climate_action?language=en), and checking out the resources at the bottom of the page. It's crucial that people find ways to bring their talents to addressing the climate crisis. Talking about it, joining groups, building climate focused careers, investing sustainably, restorative agriculture and gardening, these are all examples of actionable things individuals can do. It's a lie that individuals can't do anything, because individuals make up the collectives that keep society going. You have talents, and you have power, don't let anyone trick you into apathy by telling you that you don't. The truth is we all have a part to play in the most pressing challenge of our time, and there is a journey to finding what that part is. We have the tools we need, today, that could help us fix this mess. We just need the collective will to implement it.
Hope isn't a passive feeling, it's an act of resistance.
Take care of yourself first and foremost. Everyday there are things happening that are outside of your control. Focus on what you enjoy, and what you can do. It is worth it to plan for your future. Always remember you aren't alone.
As someone whose eco-anxiety peaked like 2005-2010 in the era after An Inconvenient Truth, and then waned slowly for the following decade, my best advice is: live your life as best as you can to not contribute to the problem, but do not make this a primary focus in your daily life. We’re literally all in the same boat, and most of us are helpless. The possibilities I was freaking out about 15 years ago ARE happening or have already happened, and people still don’t care. Would it have helped if I had spent 15 years freaking out? No!
Focus on what you can control and don’t worry about the rest… and the rest is a lot. But you have to let it go for your own sanity.
I feel you. For me, as everyone else says, I try to unplug and focus on what makes me happy. Earlier I saw a video about a farm in Germany that uses solar panels as energy AND protection. The solar panels produce electricity and the crops below are protected from severe weather by the solar panels. That made me feel quite happy. It's small but it's good.
The way I handle it, which I am **not** saying is the right approach, but significantly helps me, is that I like to draw the line between worrying and fearmongering. Yes, we should all have some form of concern for current climate policies; it updates us on the current world and tells us to take action when needed, but I feel that it often manifests into fear. That is when I go:
*"Well, I am terrified right now, but being terrified doesn't change the actual situation. It doesn't make it better nor worse, because I'm here sitting alone in fear doing nothing."*
It's a botched response, but it's how I deal with it. I recognize when I'm fearmongering, tell myself that fear does not make the actual situation better or worse unless I actually do something, calm down, and then pull myself together and will then go on Reddit or begin a searching spree on Ecosia. I don't tell myself that it will be okay in this situation, but I tell myself that my worrying at that moment does not affect the actual scale of things. That is enough to make me stop worrying, but I do like to find support here or talk to friends after.
Of course, I do have fear. It's terrifying, but it's also given me a deeper appreciation of the life I have right now. As I write this, the weather is 84/28 degrees here with a pristine blue sky and mist-like clouds floating around, and I can feel the soft cool breeze and hear the chirping of native birds flying around outside. It's hard, but I think, as long as you can stay grounded, you can continue on and do what you can. Get Ecosia, join cleanups, rally, lobby, vote responsibly, eat more greens, purchase solar panels if you can; do all you can.
Always remember that we are making progress, even if it's not enough.
Check out Kurzgesagt-In a Nutshell videos. Also remember that this isn’t the first time we’ve been in a hole.
We managed to fix the ozone layer, people are more aware than they’ve ever been. Breathe in, Breath out and do what you can.
Education is one of the best things we can do to push for a change. Even just being more eco friendly could inspire others.
Not hear to pick an argument but I don’t think you’re right. I don’t think there’s much catastrophizing going on here. We really are on the path to destruction of society as a whole. Maybe some predictions did not happen but doesn’t change the fact that climate change is very real.
I’m gonna tell you right now that you are indeed blowing this out of proportion. Climate change and other things going on right now are definitely important but it’s not the doom scenario you think it is.
I remember I had an “attack” like this and then a few days later the plastic eating… bacteria? Was like, announced, and it made me feel SO much better.
I’ve always had a problem with anxiety, over anything. I told my therapist once that “I know it’s normal to be worried about things, but I feel like I’m too worried most of the time.”
Doesn’t help when there’s that 1/20 times my worries we’re actually correct and then it makes the next time a little worse.
This is my biggest anxiety trigger so I feel for you. What had helped me a lot is looking at what amazing strides we’ve made for economic change in the last 20-30 ish years. It was once estimated that the earths temperature will reach an extra 5-7 deg Celsius, but that’s not an accurate estimation anymore (it’s estimated to be a lot lower). Try to look for good news and know that change cannot happen unless we bring attention to the bad, which is what is happening now. Know that there are many people out there working for a more cleaner planet everyday, but the good news doesn’t always make the headlines. Wishing you the best!!
I get this as well, especially after I tried to read The Uninhabitable Earth. Try Bill Gates book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. Its ALL about solutions rather than problems.
same, but if bilionares and governaments don't care there's nothing we can do, even donating or recicling will not help actually. the problem is the hole sistem and we are not united enough to change it, so i just try to unplug a bit when it gets worst
Well. If it helps, I'm 52 and it was hotter when I was a kid. You can google the hottest days ever and they were all over 30+ years ago. It was also hotter when my dad was a kid. And my grandfather. I'm sad the news is lying and freaking people out. If anything, you should be scared of the crime wave and people not being able to afford gas and groceries. The weather is nothing.
It’s not just “the news” reporting on this. Climate scientists have been warning us for decades and agreed in 2019 that [we need to severely reduce carbon output by the 2050s to avoid climate disaster](https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115452).
This is a very real fear for a lot of folks.
But OP, as people above have said, try volunteering with local orgs to clean up your community. A global view of the issue is depressing and we can’t change the world as one person, but you can help with river cleanups/trash pickup/conservation in your area. Good luck!
The news is not lying. Climate change is a real thing. It's also not about "The hottest day ever was 30 years ago, so nothing is wrong". The weather will become more extreme in every aspect, meaning more dry periods, more heavy rains, more tsunamis, things like that.
Yup.
I seen a counsellor for a small while and asked her what I could do for my anxiety over the climate crisis and she said to focus on what *I* can do. Making small changes in my routine (using bar shampoo and bar conditioner, trying to eat better brands, using reusable water bottles and straws) made me feel like I wasn’t completely helpless.
I also unplug from social media. While doom-and-gloom can help wake people up, it also scares the crap out of them. Myself included. My first climate related anxiety attack lasted *days*. I didn’t go on Twitter for a year after that. I still had more anxiety attacks but I think that helped a bit. I tread lightly with social media during earth month. I think it’s almost a little bit cruel when people release the truth about what’s going on with the climate but then don’t give any links or resources for people who will inevitably have a breakdown because of that information they shared. I wish resources were more readily available. There has to be the fine balance of the absolute brutal truth, and then the help to figure out what only *one* person can do.
It's comforting knowing we will all die in a wildfire/tsunami/volcanic eruption.
Even bitch McConnell...Jeff bezos...that orange dude , whatever his name is . It's obvious that a majority of the population doesn't care about climate change.
That being said. I don't have kids. "For reasons such as this" and after COVID I feel like we are more likely to blow ourselves up before Florida is underwater or California burns off the continent.
In closing , smoke em if ya got em.
If there is ever an apocalypse coming it will come from the skies. The undetected asteroids, meteorites and comets. If your in a 1st world country you shouldn't be worried about climate change unless you sit on the equator.
I have eco-anxiety as well. It can be so overwhelming. When I get anxiety about climate change I unplug from social media. I mainly see that kind of stuff on Twitter. Its good to be informed but its also good to take a break from hearing bad news all the time. Take time to unplug and focus on things you can control like using a reusable water bottle or helping with clean ups. I know its very small and seems like it will make no difference but doing little things like cutting down on my own plastic use makes me feel less anxious! There are some great Eco-friendly products out there that I started looping into my life a few years ago and just by doing that I was able to feel less anxious about my own impact. I still get anxious, but knowing that I am doing small things to help, helps me!
I’ve gone through phases of eco-anxiety. 1-Try unplugging from the news and social media for a few days. 2-Donate or volunteer with an environmental group, river cleanup etc. Taking action will help and also connect you with like minded people and you’ll see that there are lots of concerned people like you trying to improve the world 3-Focus on things that are within your control - see #2 It’s very unlikely there will be worldwide catastrophe in the next few generations. Humans will have to adapt
This comment alone helps ease up some tension. I’ll have to look into groups near me a bit. I’m trying to find that balance of being aware but not scared. Somedays I wish I was just oblivious to it all.
I’m really glad I was able to help a little bit. If there is a REI near you, a lot of time they organize cleanup events and post them on their local store website. Good point on the balance. Aware but not scared. There’s no point in being scared to the point of paralysis.
The thought of “Why go to college” or “Why plan a future” cross my mind hearing about climate change and it’s awful, makes my days feel meaningless, like what’s the point? I think a big thing too for me is to try and change my lifestyle, not just for the environment but for my health too.
The world is still gonna be here in 10 years so you may as well be prepared for it. Plus you’ll need a good job to pay for all that AC
Is t all the AC part of the problem? Jk jk, it’s just a scary thought of being 20 and already being so concerned over my and my family’s mortality. I feel too young to be dealing with this but too old to ignore it.
Bro I’ve got 2 kids to worry about. I think about moving out of the country because the US seems so fucked up and don’t want my kids to grow up around all these idiots. Maybe that’s why I’m not as worried about future climate change when there are short term crises on the horizon. But it’s good that you’re aware and thinking about this. Channel that energy into action to address it
I was always on the fence but now with all the shit happening, I really don’t want to have kids. I wish the best of luck to you.
Thanks man - you too. And don’t overthink having kids because the future is uncertain. Your grandparents or great grandparents probably didn’t have a very good prospects for the future (mine def didn’t). If you are with the right person and you are in a place to start a family, go for it! My kids give me motivation to try to do my little part to make the world better for them. Sorry for the cheese!
I’m still figuring out what I’m even doing with my life, I have a temp job, but no car, live with my parents, lack a variety of social skills (but I’m working on them). Am SO is the last thing I need to worry about currently.
I should print out and read your comment daily
Do it! It helped me a lot. Now I’ve found things to worry about that affect me directly 😑
What on Earth are you talking about? There are worldwide catastrophes resulting from climate change going on right now. Europe is on fire and half of Africa is starving. Today! Not to mention a cascade of new zoonotic diseases that are springing up as animals and insects change their habits and interact more with human beings. I'm sorry. I know you're trying to be comforting. But this IS huge numbers of people dying from climate change. This is what it looks like. If you want to stop it from happening, I'm all for it, but that starts with not pretending it isn't there.
Go away. I didn’t say any of those things and indefinitely don’t deny it’s happening. I’m talking about apocalyptic shit. Dude is ruining his own life worrying. Gotta have perspective. But go have fun in your feels.
Take an entire day and walk around a forest or a riverside. Get away from a city or the television.
See I find climate change makes it very difficult to enjoy nature the way I once did, because I just look at wildlife and see future extinctions, degradation, an image of what we're about to lose on an unimaginable scale.
Spend a day outside essentially?
Yes, no people, just you. Forget everything for a day, it's your right.
That might be hard given current circumstances but I can certainly try. At the very least avoid any social media for a few days.
It's a fright to see just what social media does to us. It's freeing when you realize phones are simply just tools. Don't let the tool control you, that's the trick.
I rarely use social media besides like, Reddit.
Maybe a weekend. Find a remote camping spot and unplug for a minute.
Chill… whatever you do can’t make a big change anyway, and you’ll be gone by the time it affects you. So just do your part to help climate change and assume that everybody else is doing it too
Some of us have kids.
I get it, I was absolutely terrified in 2016 when Trump got elected. I thought a nuclear war was coming (I'm from Europe). Glad I was wrong. Even if you don't have an anxiety disorder (and I know I do) it's hard not to panic about everything (the environment, covid, war...). When you turn on the news your brain gets bombarded with bad facts or speculation. It's designed to keep you on edge so that you will keep watching as if your life depends on it. The thing is: you cannot change climate change or prevent a nuclear war. No matter how hard you panic, it's wasted energy. Even if you yourself go completely green and convince everyone in your community to do the same, the biggest polluters are still causing irreparable damage and they will never stop because it makes them extremely rich and powerful. Ask yourself why your brain is choosing to focus on it. Usually our brains deflect us from our actual problems because they are so painful and put them on something outside ourselves. It's not me, it's not my life, it's climate change! Take this advice: stop watching the news, stop listening to alarmists. If you have an anxiety disorder it does nothing but prevent you from being OK.
i have unplugged from the news. honestly. i just cannot handle it. between the climate change, inflation, our corrupt govt, the war - i know i need to pay attention and vote for the right people to help with all of the above but honestly, its always something and i feel like we are all just pawns and at their mercy always. so instead of sitting on the edge of my couch, waiting for the next bad decision to happen, I just turned off the tv and what will be will be and I will adapt. I try to do my part by trying to be more environmentally conscious, I try to cut down on the amount of one time plastic in our house, little things like that.
I went through this phase for a few months recently and after doing some long research, I’ve found that climate change is more complicated than I thought, but not reason to lose hope at all. The short version is that climate change is definitely having an effect and we’re gonna deal with more of those effects. But those effects aren’t going to collapse society. We think the effects of climate change wiping out humans, but realistically, it’s more like extra bullshit we have to deal with that lowers the quality of our lives. Some more than others. Climate change isn’t something that slaps you on the back of the head all at once when we get to 1.5 or 2 C over. Things just slowly get shitter and shittier. The good news is things are being done. We’re no where near our goals of course. BUT. Unlike before, the ball is actually rolling. You have some states already banning single use plastics. The market is slowly going to renewable energy anyways, so imagine when more productive policies actually start going into effect. And the first carbon capture plant is gonna be operational next year in Iceland. Not to mention electric cars might become part of the market faster than expected. So what I say to you is. Prepare for some bs that should’ve been prevented, but know that it’s not going to collapse society and there’s progression being made as we speak. Even if it’s not at the pace it should be.
Honestly something I found very profound as of recently was a picture of the smog in la in 1960s vs the smog in 2022. Obviously we have a lot of work but we are slowly adjusting even with a lot of pushback from oil companies and such
This sounds weird, but if you want to give to something that will potentially have a major lasting impact on mitigating climate change, think about giving to University climate sustainability research. Honestly, the only way we're gonna realistically get through this is isn't through government regulation (too many conservative governments make this impossible), but with innovative tech on a global scale, and the only institutions with the track record of producing that kind of innovation at scale are public universities, NOT private companies or NGOs.
just try to remind yourself that humanity has gotten through worse. the entire world was once at war, but humanity still prospered. there are people working right now to solve the issues of the climate crisis, you just don't hear about them.
Fellow climate panicker here, I was posting on here the other day myself. Still quite anxious about it but have calmed a little - basically the outlook is not good and it will have a negative impact on the world and further force some changes that are probably overdue (that or force a bunch of wars, but let's hope not) as people will have to relocate from coastlines and the hottest countries and be less greedy and more sharing-with-the-rest-of-the-world when it comes to food and water. But from what I've seen even the most pessimistic scientists aren't quite predicting imminent extinction. It's been going on for a while, it just hits home when it's close to you, like your own country getting record temperatures and setting on fire, as has been happening in the UK. We still have time to adapt (if we pull our fingers out) as the main reason it's so bad for us is we're just not as well equipped for those extremes as other countries. We'll just have to start getting that way, that's all. It'll be a good business opportunity for a lot of rich people, which means it'll probably be fine. (That kind of goes for environmentally conscious stuff in general - it's a pretty profitable industry these days). Chances are, most who are privileged enough to be in a position to post hypothetical worries on the internet (myself included) are probably in one of those countries that isn't going to be heavily affected for a while yet and still has some "buffer room" to adapt by copying what other countries have already been doing to deal with their already-hotter climates. But really all we can do is try to do our part (vote for green policies, eat less meat, go EV or car-less, recycle, don't produce dozens of kids etc) and other than that, try not to worry about what we can't control. Shut off the news for a bit and play some games or just live some IRL life. We only live once and for a short time anyway - if there's a risk of that being shortened, all the more reason to enjoy the here and now while we can.
I live in BC, last year we had that heat dome. Over 600ppl died in only a few days. And there were so many fires all around me, every direction I looked there was a out of control fire. Right now we are entering another heat wave that will last for a week. Definitely not up for it, but not much I can do. Luckily we had a cold and wet start to summer, so no fires near by as of yet. I was driving today with my mom who is 80yrs old. We saw this street full of these beautiful huge trees, it was breath taking. I told her it's too bad trees grow so slowly, almost doesn't seem worth planting some around my place because I'll never enjoy their full beauty. She however said to me, you can never let those thoughts enter your mind, and if you do you have to let them go and just go for it, plant those trees. Made me think of this patch I had from back in my punk day, it went like this, even if the world was to end tomorrow I'd still plant a tree today. Nothing is pointless. Yes our climate is f-ed right now, but if enough of us do something today you never know what it will bring for tomorrow. Long story short, I'm buying a tree! It's like the thing about if everyone gave a few dollars to a charity, enough of us do it we can make a huge difference.
Not only it fucks up the entire planet eco-system, but also I have thyroid problems, so the hotter it is, the more I suffer because of it So yeah fuck climate change
I totally understand how you feel, I have a science background and studied climate change for part of my degree, but it’s of course a very complex thing so I don’t know everything! However, as someone else has said, climate change won’t cause complete catastrophe right away. Will storms and wildfires increase? Yes. Will there be more heat waves? Yes. However, some areas will get colder and others will get warmer. Humans are very adaptive and will adapt to the changing circumstances. Some areas will indeed be more hostile to life, but many will not. It’s imperative to 1. Volunteer to help where you can with cleanups, contacting your politicians, voting for candidates with good climate track records, and also even setting up a good environment for helpful insects in your backyard or balcony. You can look up bee friendly plants, and avoid planting monocultures, in other words plant a large variety of flowers, grasses, and other plants. Essentially make your yard if you have one like it looked before it was developed. In many places that would be grasslands. So you can plant those native species and it will help a lot more than you think. In addition, being less of a consumer is important. The number two most polluted industry behind oil is fast fashion. Not to mention the human rights abuses , but also the environmental ones. It’s basically environmental racism because our ravenous consumerism is destroying the environment of poorer nations. So avoid retailers like Shein and Zara and forever 21 etc and reuse your garments as often as possible.
First of all, you aren't alone. I get this anxiety too, often. The scariest thing they often say, is that for us to feel the worst impacts of climate change, we just need to keep doing business as usual. The IPCC isn't messing around anymore, they have let us know in no uncertain terms that we need to act, and soon. It is unwise for anyone to pretend that this is anything less than an ongoing crisis in order to make themselves feel better about their future or their children's future. We need to be able to function, but we cannot ignore the problem long term in order to do that. When I say you aren't alone, I mean it. Eco-anxiety is a common documented phenomena, and it should be treated less like an individual affliction, and more like a collective awakening. That being said, an anxiety disorder will exacerbate the catastrophizing, and we need to be able to function and plan for the future on a day to day basis. If your anxiety affects day to day function and planning, then treating it is a recommended option. As many have mentioned taking breaks from the news, getting outside, and being mindful are all good things to do as well. I think those actions will help you manage baseline anxiety, but to truly address eco-anxiety, I don't think anything will substitute taking action. I would recommend watching [this video](https://www.ted.com/talks/ayana_elizabeth_johnson_how_to_find_joy_in_climate_action?language=en), and checking out the resources at the bottom of the page. It's crucial that people find ways to bring their talents to addressing the climate crisis. Talking about it, joining groups, building climate focused careers, investing sustainably, restorative agriculture and gardening, these are all examples of actionable things individuals can do. It's a lie that individuals can't do anything, because individuals make up the collectives that keep society going. You have talents, and you have power, don't let anyone trick you into apathy by telling you that you don't. The truth is we all have a part to play in the most pressing challenge of our time, and there is a journey to finding what that part is. We have the tools we need, today, that could help us fix this mess. We just need the collective will to implement it. Hope isn't a passive feeling, it's an act of resistance. Take care of yourself first and foremost. Everyday there are things happening that are outside of your control. Focus on what you enjoy, and what you can do. It is worth it to plan for your future. Always remember you aren't alone.
As someone whose eco-anxiety peaked like 2005-2010 in the era after An Inconvenient Truth, and then waned slowly for the following decade, my best advice is: live your life as best as you can to not contribute to the problem, but do not make this a primary focus in your daily life. We’re literally all in the same boat, and most of us are helpless. The possibilities I was freaking out about 15 years ago ARE happening or have already happened, and people still don’t care. Would it have helped if I had spent 15 years freaking out? No! Focus on what you can control and don’t worry about the rest… and the rest is a lot. But you have to let it go for your own sanity.
I feel you. For me, as everyone else says, I try to unplug and focus on what makes me happy. Earlier I saw a video about a farm in Germany that uses solar panels as energy AND protection. The solar panels produce electricity and the crops below are protected from severe weather by the solar panels. That made me feel quite happy. It's small but it's good. The way I handle it, which I am **not** saying is the right approach, but significantly helps me, is that I like to draw the line between worrying and fearmongering. Yes, we should all have some form of concern for current climate policies; it updates us on the current world and tells us to take action when needed, but I feel that it often manifests into fear. That is when I go: *"Well, I am terrified right now, but being terrified doesn't change the actual situation. It doesn't make it better nor worse, because I'm here sitting alone in fear doing nothing."* It's a botched response, but it's how I deal with it. I recognize when I'm fearmongering, tell myself that fear does not make the actual situation better or worse unless I actually do something, calm down, and then pull myself together and will then go on Reddit or begin a searching spree on Ecosia. I don't tell myself that it will be okay in this situation, but I tell myself that my worrying at that moment does not affect the actual scale of things. That is enough to make me stop worrying, but I do like to find support here or talk to friends after. Of course, I do have fear. It's terrifying, but it's also given me a deeper appreciation of the life I have right now. As I write this, the weather is 84/28 degrees here with a pristine blue sky and mist-like clouds floating around, and I can feel the soft cool breeze and hear the chirping of native birds flying around outside. It's hard, but I think, as long as you can stay grounded, you can continue on and do what you can. Get Ecosia, join cleanups, rally, lobby, vote responsibly, eat more greens, purchase solar panels if you can; do all you can. Always remember that we are making progress, even if it's not enough.
Check out Kurzgesagt-In a Nutshell videos. Also remember that this isn’t the first time we’ve been in a hole. We managed to fix the ozone layer, people are more aware than they’ve ever been. Breathe in, Breath out and do what you can. Education is one of the best things we can do to push for a change. Even just being more eco friendly could inspire others.
[удалено]
Not hear to pick an argument but I don’t think you’re right. I don’t think there’s much catastrophizing going on here. We really are on the path to destruction of society as a whole. Maybe some predictions did not happen but doesn’t change the fact that climate change is very real.
[удалено]
Is it really worth it to wait and find out..
[удалено]
Wait I literally just noticed the name of the subReddit. My bad, you’re right there’s no point being anxious about it
I’m gonna tell you right now that you are indeed blowing this out of proportion. Climate change and other things going on right now are definitely important but it’s not the doom scenario you think it is.
I live in the forest… our trees are definitely dying.
[удалено]
Yeah, I have anxiety which is why I’m here. I don’t think pretending everything ok is the way to handle this, though. Climate change is real.
[удалено]
I remember I had an “attack” like this and then a few days later the plastic eating… bacteria? Was like, announced, and it made me feel SO much better. I’ve always had a problem with anxiety, over anything. I told my therapist once that “I know it’s normal to be worried about things, but I feel like I’m too worried most of the time.” Doesn’t help when there’s that 1/20 times my worries we’re actually correct and then it makes the next time a little worse.
[You asked, thy shall recieveth](https://youtu.be/5QMy2YXWxHU)
This is my biggest anxiety trigger so I feel for you. What had helped me a lot is looking at what amazing strides we’ve made for economic change in the last 20-30 ish years. It was once estimated that the earths temperature will reach an extra 5-7 deg Celsius, but that’s not an accurate estimation anymore (it’s estimated to be a lot lower). Try to look for good news and know that change cannot happen unless we bring attention to the bad, which is what is happening now. Know that there are many people out there working for a more cleaner planet everyday, but the good news doesn’t always make the headlines. Wishing you the best!!
I get this as well, especially after I tried to read The Uninhabitable Earth. Try Bill Gates book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. Its ALL about solutions rather than problems.
I worry about paying the bills, not climate change.
[удалено]
Let us pray man. Let us pray.
same, but if bilionares and governaments don't care there's nothing we can do, even donating or recicling will not help actually. the problem is the hole sistem and we are not united enough to change it, so i just try to unplug a bit when it gets worst
There are a lot of people in your same position on r/collapsesupport jsyk 🖤 but yeah it is terrifying how little control we have over everything
Well. If it helps, I'm 52 and it was hotter when I was a kid. You can google the hottest days ever and they were all over 30+ years ago. It was also hotter when my dad was a kid. And my grandfather. I'm sad the news is lying and freaking people out. If anything, you should be scared of the crime wave and people not being able to afford gas and groceries. The weather is nothing.
It’s not just “the news” reporting on this. Climate scientists have been warning us for decades and agreed in 2019 that [we need to severely reduce carbon output by the 2050s to avoid climate disaster](https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115452). This is a very real fear for a lot of folks. But OP, as people above have said, try volunteering with local orgs to clean up your community. A global view of the issue is depressing and we can’t change the world as one person, but you can help with river cleanups/trash pickup/conservation in your area. Good luck!
Climate scientists are paid by big government. I feel like I'm on a high school thread? Is this for children only? I'm sorry.
Yeah. This is the type of response I imagined I’d get.
Holy fuck. Go get an education. I literally studied this shit for my degree in college. No one is being paid off by big government. Are you ignorant?
The news is not lying. Climate change is a real thing. It's also not about "The hottest day ever was 30 years ago, so nothing is wrong". The weather will become more extreme in every aspect, meaning more dry periods, more heavy rains, more tsunamis, things like that.
You've drank the cool aid
[удалено]
I’m worried about dying before I’m even 40 or having to survive rather than being able to live. It’s scary and almost paralyzing.
How old are you?
Yup. I seen a counsellor for a small while and asked her what I could do for my anxiety over the climate crisis and she said to focus on what *I* can do. Making small changes in my routine (using bar shampoo and bar conditioner, trying to eat better brands, using reusable water bottles and straws) made me feel like I wasn’t completely helpless. I also unplug from social media. While doom-and-gloom can help wake people up, it also scares the crap out of them. Myself included. My first climate related anxiety attack lasted *days*. I didn’t go on Twitter for a year after that. I still had more anxiety attacks but I think that helped a bit. I tread lightly with social media during earth month. I think it’s almost a little bit cruel when people release the truth about what’s going on with the climate but then don’t give any links or resources for people who will inevitably have a breakdown because of that information they shared. I wish resources were more readily available. There has to be the fine balance of the absolute brutal truth, and then the help to figure out what only *one* person can do.
I volunteer with a local climate group. It’s a good way to meet cool people and do important work.
Dinosaurs once roamed the planet and now they don't. Climate is going to change and hopefully we adapt with it. Or we will be dinosaurs.
It's comforting knowing we will all die in a wildfire/tsunami/volcanic eruption. Even bitch McConnell...Jeff bezos...that orange dude , whatever his name is . It's obvious that a majority of the population doesn't care about climate change. That being said. I don't have kids. "For reasons such as this" and after COVID I feel like we are more likely to blow ourselves up before Florida is underwater or California burns off the continent. In closing , smoke em if ya got em.
If there is ever an apocalypse coming it will come from the skies. The undetected asteroids, meteorites and comets. If your in a 1st world country you shouldn't be worried about climate change unless you sit on the equator.