Pirate's Cove

Harvard Health says this is totally not a mental illness. Well, they might be right, if you consider losing your shit over what is mostly natural and becoming a cult member who refuses to practice what you preach not a mental illness

Is climate change keeping you up at night? You may have climate anxiety

A forest fire in northern California and a mile-long glacier breaking apart appear in your news feed. The stark reminders of climate change are constant, and may cause additional stress to your daily tasks. For example, in surveying your shopping cart filled with wipes, sandwich bags, and packets of baby food, you may question your choices, knowing that the plastic in those items will never break down completely. You may feel guilty about driving the short distance to the store, or you may struggle to stop worrying about how your actions will affect future generations.

What is climate anxiety?

Climate anxiety, or eco-anxiety, is distress related to worries about the effects of climate change. It is not a mental illness. Rather, it is anxiety rooted in uncertainty about the future and alerting us to the dangers of a changing climate. Climate change is a real threat, and therefore it’s normal to experience worry and fear about the consequences. Anxiety about the climate is often accompanied by feelings of grief, anger, guilt, and shame, which in turn can affect mood, behavior, and thinking.

Or, maybe it is mental illness, people buying into a doomsday cult, letting a bunch of grand high poohbahs scare the crap out of them without bothering to do any real research. Some of you might remember the doomy prognostications they put out for Y2K. It did look scary, but, if you did any research, you realized all that was necessary was a little software upgrade. Or, how about the doomy prognostications of NYC under water by 2000? That the Arctic would be ice free? All those tipping points? Peak oil? All the ones of a coming ice age? How about Maldives underwater by 2018? People bought into these without thought.

According to a survey by the American Psychological Association, more than two-thirds of Americans experience some climate anxiety. A study published by The Lancet found that 84% of children and young adults ages 16 to 25 are at least moderately worried about climate change, and 59% are very or extremely worried. This makes sense, as children and young adults will disproportionately suffer the consequences of environmental changes. A 2021 UNICEF report estimates that one billion children will be at “extremely high risk” as a result of climate change. Children and young adults are also particularly vulnerable to the effects of chronic stress, and climate anxiety may affect their risk of developing depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

Perhaps the climate cult should stop scaring the kids, making them mental messes.

How can you help a younger person?

Climate anxiety disproportionately affects children and youth. To be an ally for a child, adolescent, or younger adult with climate anxiety, you can consider showing your support in the following ways:

• Validate their concerns. “I hear you, and it makes sense that you are worried (or angry) about this issue.”
• Help direct their efforts to advocacy groups. Spend time together researching organizations that they can get involved with.
• Educate yourselves on steps you both can take to minimize your impact on the environment.
• Support your loved one’s decisions to make changes to their lifestyle, especially changes they can witness at home.
• Spend time in nature with your family, or consider planting flowers or trees.

How about not validating their concerns which makes it worse. Tell them to do some research to see if what they’re being told is true.