Eco-anxiety: The mental health costs of a warming planet

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• May 6, 2022

Insight summary

Eco-anxiety is on the rise, affecting individual mental health and also shaping societal structures, from healthcare to politics. The emotional toll of climate change is prompting new approaches in mental healthcare, shifts in consumer behavior, and even influencing election outcomes. These changes have far-reaching implications, including the development of specialized mental health treatments, adjustments in government policy, and shifts in business practices to meet ethical consumer demands.

Climate change mental health context

Eco-anxiety is becoming a more prevalent emotional response as climate change intensifies natural disasters and extreme weather events. When people experience these events firsthand—such as surviving a flood or enduring a severe drought—their mental health can be seriously affected. However, indirect exposure, like watching news coverage of wildfires or reading articles about melting glaciers, can also trigger feelings of anxiety and helplessness. This emotional toll is not just an individual issue; it has broader implications for communities and healthcare systems that may need to adapt to this growing challenge.

In 2020, a study from Yale University highlighted the mental health consequences of eco-anxiety, linking it to an increase in depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and even suicide rates in the United States. The study found that heatwaves, in particular, have a notable impact on mental health, leading to a rise in suicide rates, especially among men. Additionally, poor air quality has been shown to elevate the risk of developing various mental health conditions, including anxiety and schizophrenia. 

Understanding the link between climate change and mental health is crucial for both policymakers and healthcare providers. As the climate continues to change, healthcare systems may need to incorporate new strategies for addressing the mental health impacts of environmental stressors. For example, mental health services could include specialized counseling for eco-anxiety or community programs that focus on emotional resilience in the face of climate change. 

Disruptive impact

Children, in particular, are affected significantly by climate change-related fears and anxiety. According to a 2021 United Nations Children's Fund report, half of the 2.2 billion children globally are at "extremely high risk" of being negatively affected by climate change. About 85 percent of these children live in developing countries that face the gravest consequences of natural disasters due to poor healthcare services and lack of government aid.

Climate change further affects children's growth and development, making them more vulnerable to anxiety and depression at an early age. The increasing numbers of teenagers protesting against governments' inability to take concrete action to mitigate climate change is a representation of these children's frustration and hopelessness. Within the broader population, climate change-related anxiety and depression may lead to workers' productivity being affected, their relationships with loved ones and family becoming strained, and increased substance abuse. 

Psychologists recommend steps to manage the stress caused by climate change. The first is to have open communication platforms for people to discuss their experiences and fears. Next is strengthening community resilience through reaching out to neighbors and joining community organizations. Lastly, people should seek to take action by having emergency plans, joining advocacies that seek to challenge contributors to climate change, and seeking factual information from reputable sources. 

Implications of eco-anxiety

Wider implications of eco-anxiety may include:

• Therapists and psychologists creating specialized treatment plans for climate change-induced mental disorders, leading to the emergence of a new subfield in mental health care focused on environmental stressors.
• An increasing number of children developing climate change-related mental illnesses, which could affect future generations of workers, potentially leading to a less productive and more mentally strained labor force.
• More pressure on governments to implement climate change mitigation policies and to increase resources for climate change-related healthcare, including enhanced mental wellness assistance, resulting in a shift in budget allocations and policy priorities.
• A rise in eco-anxiety driving consumer demand for environmentally friendly products, leading to businesses adopting more sustainable practices to meet this new market need.
• The growing prevalence of eco-anxiety potentially leading to increased activism and voter turnout, especially among younger generations, thereby influencing political agendas and election outcomes.
• Companies incorporating mental wellness as a part of their employee benefits, specifically targeting eco-anxiety, which could become a standard offering alongside traditional healthcare benefits.
• The education sector incorporating climate change and mental health into curricula, leading to a more informed but potentially more anxious generation of students who are acutely aware of environmental challenges.
• Increased demand for telehealth services that specialize in treating eco-anxiety and other climate-related mental health issues, leading to technological advancements in remote mental healthcare.
• A shift in population dynamics as people move away from areas more prone to natural disasters, leading to economic decline in those regions and growth in perceived safer areas.
• The insurance industry adjusting their risk models to account for the mental health impacts of climate change, leading to new types of coverage but also potentially higher premiums for those in high-risk areas.

Questions to consider

• How do you manage the stress and anxiety that you may feel when you read about or are negatively affected by climate change-related natural disasters?
• How can governments and private companies provide better mental wellness assistance for younger workers and citizens amid increasing climate change-related anxiety?