Climate change is now considered a very real and global threat. In Australia, we have seen its effects all around. 2019 alone brought heatwaves, drought, bushfires, and flash flooding. Lives were lost, homes and communities destroyed, and the air became polluted to an extent never seen before. It’s clear that the environmental, economic, and health impacts of climate change are severe. But what about mental health?

According to recent research (Reser et al., 2012) the vast majority of Australians are now concerned about climate change. This concern can take many forms, from worry about future disasters occurring, to individual and government inaction, and the impact of climate change on generations to come. For those who have been directly affected by natural disasters, concern is understandably heightened due to lived experience.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, climate change concern can also lead to difficult emotions, such as anxiety, anger, loss, shame, guilt, and helplessness (Clayton et al., 2017). Whilst each of these emotions are valid and understandable, sometimes they can feel all-consuming. For example, you might notice yourself getting caught in negative patterns of thinking, or not engaging as much with activities you enjoy. You might even notice that, despite your concern, you find yourself trying to ignore the climate issue to get on with daily life. This is called “cognitive dissonance” -  the discomfort you feel when your beliefs run counter to your actions (Festinger, 1957).

Whatever it is you’re experiencing, it’s important to know that you’re not alone. Climate change is something that is affecting everybody to some extent, so learning about strategies to help with the distress is important. Here are a few tips to consider:

Take a look at your thoughts

When we are feeling strong emotions, our capacity to think clearly reduces and our brains use mental shortcuts that can be unhelpful. Some examples are filtering out the positive (e.g., “no one is doing anything to address climate change”) and personalising (e.g., “I’m to blame because I’ve not recycled everything I could have”). The trouble is, evidence suggests that these thought patterns can maintain emotional distress, so adopting a more realistic and balanced perspective can be helpful (Beck, 2011). One example might be: “climate change is happening, but scientists believe there is still opportunity to make changes”.

Connecting with others

Humans are social beings, so expressing your thoughts and emotions with others can help to reduce distress (Wang et al., 2018). This might involve reaching out to family and friends, or joining a support group to connect with like-minded people who share similar values. If you’ve been personally affected by a natural disaster, support groups can also provide a platform for you to work through grief and loss.

Changing your behaviours

It can be easy to feel completely overwhelmed when facing the mammoth task of reversing climate change. In reality, no one of us can do that alone. In the face of seemingly unachievable tasks we can often feel frozen and stuck in inaction. However if each one of us makes a small contribution, we can create a tidal-wave of change.  Taking action in response to the climate crisis is another way to reduce cognitive dissonance and distressing emotions. Whether it be reducing your use of plastics, joining an activist group, or getting around more on a bike, these little things can have a cumulative effect and may inspire others to do the same. You may not always see where the positive ripple of your action ends, but trusting that you are making a positive contribution can help. Further, to support yourself with your difficult emotions it can also be helpful to try taking regular breaks to look after yourself. Exercise, for example, is a great way to reduce anxiety and improve mood (Mikkelsen et al., 2017)

Allowing your emotions to just “be”

It’s human nature to want to keep pushing away negative emotions because they simply don’t feel good. We call this process “negative reinforcement” – essentially the idea that we repeat certain behaviours because they take away negative outcomes (Skinner, 1963). The trouble is, the relief of avoiding negative emotions is only short-lived, and therefore they stay unresolved (Campbell-Sills et al., 2006). So, allowing yourself time to feel and process is important. See if you can approach your emotions with kindness and compassion, in the way you might a loved one.

Reach out for professional support

Finally, if you’re noticing that your distress is beginning to affect daily life, consider reaching out for professional support. Here at Person Centred Psychology and Allied Health, we have a team of highly skilled psychologists who can work with and support you. If you have any questions, or you’d like book an appointment, give us a call on (03) 9645 5677 or email us at contact@pcpsychology.com.au.