When I was a voluntary mentor to high school students as part of a community-based program, among the topics that young people wanted to discuss was that of climate change. It was a topic for years that could not be avoided in light of existing discussion sites on the Internet and social media. As we are seeing more and more severe weather events and their impact on people across the globe, but more importantly right here in North America, one cannot but help to wonder what the psychological impact is on youth. Interestingly enough, there is now an emerging psychology field specializing in treating what has become referred to as ‘climate stress’ or ‘eco-anxiety’.
Recently, studies have indicated that eco-anxiety is particularly prevalent among college students. For this reason, a number of college campuses have introduced group counselling sessions and individual therapy to allow students to talk through fears and frustrations of a world impacted by climate change. However, it is recognized that many therapists and counsellors aren’t trained to provide students with this specific type of support, in part because of a lack of research about climate stress as a distinct phenomenon. In addition, whether or not a therapist or counsellor believes in climate change, treating such anxiety must be done as in the case of any other anxieties. Many leaders in mental health maintain that anxiety over climate change is no different, clinically, from anxiety caused by other societal threats, like terrorism or school shootings. Interestingly, professional certification programs in climate psychology have recently begun to appear. According to The New York Times, a group called the Climate Psychology Alliance now provides an online directory of climate-aware therapists.
While some will question the legitimacy of eco-anxiety, experts have come to recognize the range of feelings someone may have in response to climate change. They point out that climate stress therapy is an effort to validate these emotions, help clients process their responses to climate change and provide coping strategies. As for the causes of eco-anxiety, many individuals perceive that they are very real. In January 2022, the publication Lancet in a 10-country survey of 10,000 people aged 16 to 25 reportedly found startling rates of pessimism. Forty-five percent of respondents said worry about climate negatively affected their daily life. Three-quarters said they believed “the future is frightening,” and 56 percent said “humanity is doomed.”
There is little doubt in my mind that young people, in particular, are increasingly expressing concerns about the potential impacts of climate change on their lives. For this reason, they need to be informed and educated about the issue. Many of its elements are complicated and not always very evident in their localities. Understanding why they feel the way they feel is very important. They need avenues in which to express their trepidations and fears. Understandably, some will push to change familial and peer consumption and conservation patterns. They may need our help, whether in schools or in communities. Parents have to be aware of any symptoms that may be related to eco-anxiety. Moreover, they must appreciate that this anxiety is real. The more awareness by parents about community-based resources and accessible health-based information can prove to be invaluable.
FROLITICKS 
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