Eco anxiety and Climate Grief
The climate and ecological emergencies are resulting in increasing levels of anxiety and grief. It’s important that we have ways to manage our feelings and care for ourselves and each other in the midst of extreme weather events and other climate related catastrophes.
“Self-care is not indulgent, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” - Audre Lorde
Read below for more information:
“Eco-anxiety refers to persistent worries about the future of Earth and the life it shelters. Related terms — “climate change distress,” “eco-trauma,” “eco-angst,” and “ecological grief,” to name a few — acknowledge that this concern often involves symptoms beyond those of anxiety alone.”
Healthline, Eco-anxiety: Symptoms, Causes, and How to Cope
“Eco-anxiety”, a disorder recently named by the American Psychological Association, is on the rise as climate change continues to unfold. Anger, fear, guilt, depression, hopelessness and despair are some of the emotions climate disruption evokes. These emotions negatively affect our resilience and hinder our ability to find climate solutions.
Eco-anxiety also takes a toll on physical health. It can cause memory loss, sleep disorders, lack of energy, irritability, decreased immunity, loss of appetite and all the health problems stress can cause, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis…If you are to remain calm through the climate storm bearing down on us, you need to find a way to cope. “
Transition Town Media, Self Care in the Age of Eco-Anxiety
“In an article for Vox, Cruse, a Wiradjuri, Gomeroi, and Monaroo-Yuin storyteller, told me, “We see and feel the spirit of our animals and our land; they are our ancestor spirits. We don’t own country, country owns us; we come from her to protect her. When country hurts, we hurt. When our animals, our spirit cousins, cry, we cry.”
What Cruse was describing was climate grief, a psychological phenomenon that affects Black and Indigenous peoples, and other people of colour, in uniquely devastating ways.”
Vice, People of Colour Experience Climate Grief More Deeply Than White People
“Eco-anxiety is a term that’s used a lot, but it’s misguided if it’s not used in the right way,” said Sarah Niblock of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) in her opening speech. “This is not an illness or disorder, it’s a perfectly normal and healthy reaction.’”
New Scientist, Stressed about climate change? Eight tips for managing eco-anxiety
“Self-care was originally billed as a medical solution for people with long-term health or mental health issues, and elderly patients. Later academics began to look at self-care for workers in particularly stressful professions, such as social workers and trauma therapists.
It wasn’t until the 1960s when self-care began to be seen as a political act, largely amongst women and people of colour. Feminists and civil rights activists (like Audre Lorde, quoted above) saw self-care as a way to control their own health and wellness, taking ownership of their own bodies in a patriarchal, racist medical system which was not supporting their needs. As well as this, women were viewed as having the role of ‘care-giver’ within families and society, and taking the time to engage in self-care was a way of acting against these traditional roles.”
Medium, Why Self-Care Is Crucial to Tackle Our Climate Crisis
“‘I think climate change is the biggest issue of our generation, and I think it’s important to have a community of people that you can talk to,” said Lauren Isom, an environmental and sustainability studies major at the U.
Isom was referring to Good Grief Circles hosted on campus, a peer-support group for students struggling with the psychological impact of climate change. The group is a part of the Good Grief Network, a nonprofit that has developed a ten-step program to help people cope with climate anxiety. Each group session deals with one of the steps.”
Daily Utah Chronicle, Good Grief Circles Help Students Deal With Climate Anxiety
Climate Grief Circles
GreenFaith, Climate Grief Circles
Climate Circle, We Heal For All
Christian Climate Action, Climate grief and anxiety
Climate & Mind, Climate Circle
Climate Grief Groups, The times are urgent. Let’s slow down.