User:CaveatLector2022/Eco anxiety

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Definition
A 2021 systematic review found that eco-anxiety had been defined in various different ways; a common feature of the different definitions is that they describe challenging emtional responses to climate change and other enviromental issues.

The term eco-anxiety is said to have been coined by Glenn Albrecht who defined it as "a chronic fear of environmental doom". Another widely cited definition is: "the generalized sense that the ecological foundations of existence are in the process of collapse." Some scholars use the term eco-anxiety as a synonym for climate-anxiety, while others like to treat the terms separately. The APA has defined eco-anxiety as"the chronic fear of environmental cataclysm that comes from observing the seemingly irrevocable impact of climate change and the associated concern for one's future and that of next generations".

Prevalence
In 2018, surveys that were conducted in the United States found between 21% and 29% of Americans said they were "very" worried about the climate, which is double the rate of a similar study in 2015. This concept of climate or ecological anxiety and grief is far-reaching due to the extensive awareness about climate change that is made possible through technology and global communication. Climate change is an ongoing global threat that is largely characterized by uncertainty and lack of understanding. For this reason, anxiety and grief in humans is a natural and rational response for those feeling fear or a lack of control. For example, these feelings could arise in people who are forced to leave their homes, deal with uncertainty about their future environment, or feel concern for the future harm of their children. Climate grief can be divided into three categories: physical ecological losses, the loss of environmental knowledge, and anticipated future losses.

Prevalence in Children and Young Adults
The condition has become especially common among children and young people – in some universities over 70% of students have self described as suffering from eco-anxiety. However, as of early 2021, validated ways to assess the prevalence of climate or eco-anxiety were not well established. A survey published in September 2021 had queried 10,000 young people from 10 countries across the world, finding that almost 60% were either very or extremely worried about climate change. Two thirds said they felt sad, afraid and anxious, while close to 40% reported they were hesitant to have children.

The people that surround children and young adults, like parents, guardians, teachers, and mentors, can have an impact on how they view climate change. There is research being done about how these groups of people should talk to children and young adults to prevent eco-anxiety in these populations, while still encouraging climate change mitigation practices.

Prevalence in Women
An October 2021 report based on polling in the UK found 78% of people surveyed expressed some degree of eco-anxiety. It did however find that women (45%) were substantially more likely to report high levels of eco-anxiety compared to men (36%). Similar observations have been reported worldwide, including European and African countries. Another reason eco-anxiety is more prevalent in women is because 80% of climate migrants are women. Many women decide whether or not they will have children based on climate change, because climate change is predicted to impact future generations more. A survey conducted by the New York Times in 2018 found that 33% of women that chose not to have children cited climate change as a reason.

Prevalence in Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous populations are especially vulnerable to eco-anxiety and other climate-caused emotional responses because of their reliance on their land and land-based activities for their livelihood and well-being. A study from 2021 found that indigenous populations that were exposed to environmental changes that are associated with climate change, like species loss, droughts, rising temperatures, and erratic weather patterns, were most likely to experience a decrease in mental wellbeing. This decrease can be expressed as eco-anxiety, but also as other climate related emotional responses, like eco-anger.

Symptoms
Eco-anxiety can manifest in ways that cause physical symptoms and may exacerbate pre-existing mental health conditions. Symptoms include irritability, sleeplessness, inability to relax, loss of appetite, poor concentration, bouts of weakness, panic attacks, muscle tension and twitching. These symptoms are similar to the symptoms that someone diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder might experience.

These symptoms are common in people who experience eco-anxiety. For example, a 2022 study commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine reported that "anxieties around climate change and environmental issues" caused insomnia for 70% of Americans.

Other mental and/or emotional symptoms include feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness, distancing oneself from or avoiding the issue, and feeling overwhelmed or suffocated.

Related emotional responses
In the field of ecopsychology, there are other climate-specific psychological impacts that are less well studied than eco-anxiety. They include, but are not limited to, eco-grief (or eco-depression), eco-anger, eco-guilt, and solastalgia.

Eco-anger
Eco-anger is frustration about climate change and the environmental changes that are caused by it. It can also be frustration towards certain groups, corporations, or countries that contribute to climate change. A study that separated the effects of eco-anxiety, eco-depression and eco-anger, found that eco-anger is the best for a person's wellbeing. This study also found that eco-anger is good for motivating participation in actions that combat climate change. A separate report from 2021 found that eco-anger was significantly more common among young people.

Eco-grief
Ecological grief (or eco-grief) is "the grief felt in relation to experienced or anticipated ecological losses, including the loss of species, ecosystems, and meaningful landscapes due to acute or chronic environmental change."

Eco-guilt
Eco-guilt is "guilt that arises when people think about times they have not met personal or societal standards for environmental behavior." This guilt can take the form of self-criticism, self-blame, self-examination, and/or self-torturing.

Solastalgia
Solastalgia is "the distress caused by the transformation and degradation of one's home environment." A 2019 study found that the number of people who experience solastaliga will increase as the rate of climate change also continues to increase. This is due to the fact that more people will see the effects of climate change on their home environments as climate change continues.

Organizations
Several psychological organizations have been founded around climate psychology. Scholars have pointed out that there is a need for a systemic approach to provide various resources for people in relation to the mental health impacts of ecological problems and climate change. Some organizations, such as the Royal College of Psychiatrists, provide web based guidance to help caregivers assist children and young adults deal with their eco-anxiety.

Eco-anxiety support groups have also been created locally, nationally, and globally. These groups allow people to discuss their fears about climate change and receive advice from other members on how to address those fears. Peer-to-peer support groups have also emerged among individuals who have moved through the stages of grief into acceptance of climate impacts as ongoing and, to some degree, inevitable. Examples includes groups arising from the concepts of Deep adaptation (origin 2018) and Post-doom (origin 2019).