It’s important that we’re concerned for the future of our planet – but we can learn to sit with the uncertainty and channel it for good,
Frommelting icecaps to record-breaking heatwaves, the news regularly brings stories about the effects of climate change – and warnings of it gettingworse. Do you feel a sense of dreadwhen you read aboutwildfires or rising sea levels, scared aboutwhat the future brings for us and our planet? If so, you’re not alone. It’s known as eco-anxiety: a fear of environmental doom.
Research by theOffice for National Statistics shows that three-quarters of adults inGreat Britain say theyworry about the impact of climate change. Whether it’s a feeling of grief forwhat’s happening, or anger that those in power aren’t doingmore,many of us are experiencing these emotions.
‘Eco-anxiety is an emotionally healthy response towhat’s going on in theworld,’ saysCarolineHickman, a psychotherapistwho is an expert in supporting people experiencing eco-anxiety. ‘It’s rational to be scared of climate change.’
Hickman explains howit’s difffffferent to other forms of anxiety,wherewe can usually see there is treatment and normal life on the other side. Thismeans thewaywe approach eco-anxiety should be different, too. ‘It’s too big to comprehend, because humanity has never faced a threat on this scale before,’ she says. ‘You should be proud that you care,’ Hickman emphasises. It shows that you’re compassionate and care about other people, animals and nature.Crucially, tackling eco-anxiety isn’t about getting rid of our feelings or pretending everything’s okay.
‘We have to learn to change our relationship with this anxiety,’ saysHickman. She explains that there’s a spectrum ofworry. ‘What happens to reassure ourselves iswe slightly unconsciously go to one of two extremes,’ she says. ‘At one end of the spectrumis doom-andgloomapocalyptic thinking – things like, “What’s the point?”, “It’s all over”, “Why bother?”.We feel less anxious, becausewe’ve decidedwe knowwhat the outcome is, sowe get back in control. At the other end of the spectrum, you have the naïve optimism. The reality is actually in themiddle of the two,which is uncertainty.We don’t knowwhat’s going to happen, and humans don’t like tolerating uncertainty, so itmakes us panic. People are like Bambi on ice when it comes to the climate crisis –we don’t knowhowto navigate it.’
The best way forward is to learn to sit in the uncomfortable middle of this spectrum. ‘You have to adjust to the reality of what’s going on and accept that reality,’ Hic
