From Eco-Anxiety to Emotional Fatigue: How Climate Change is Affecting Mental Health
As the effects of climate change become increasingly visible—through rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, and environmental degradation—another, often overlooked crisis is also deepening: its impact on mental health. The psychological burden of climate change is not just reactive; it is systemic. It reflects how environmental disruptions are inseparable from human life, livelihoods, and emotional security. The mind, much like the ecosystem, is sensitive to instability and loss.
Coping with Eco-Anxiety and Building Emotional Resilience
Dr. Radhika Goyal, a psychologist and PhD in Psychology, explains that eco-anxiety—the chronic worry about the planet’s future—is a growing phenomenon, especially among younger generations. Alongside it, ecological grief—mourning environmental losses like disappearing species or landscapes—has become more common. Dr. Goyal emphasizes that climate change is fueling existential dread, straining community cohesion, and challenging people’s sense of security.
“Understand that eco-anxiety is a rational and healthy response to a real crisis,” she says. “Suppressing it can worsen distress, while acknowledging it can be empowering.” She recommends several coping strategies, including acknowledging the feelings, seeking community support, spending time in natural environments, and avoiding information overload. Emotional self-care practices like mindfulness, journaling, or therapy are also vital.
Climate Change as a Trauma in Itself
Chetna Arora, a Clinical Psychologist trainee and co-founder of The Desi Psychologist, highlights that the climate crisis is a trauma in itself—a slow-burning one that reshapes mental health in profound ways. She notes that rising temperatures and environmental uncertainty contribute to layers of grief and helplessness, particularly among the youth.
“Climate change brings with it psychosocial and sociocultural consequences—forced migration, economic instability, and loss of community—all of which are scientifically linked to mental health concerns like anxiety, despair, and eco-grief,” she explains. “These aren’t just environmental issues. They are deeply human ones.”
Bridging the Awareness Gap
Both Dr. Goyal and Chetna emphasize the need for integrated care models and more education. “Public awareness of how climate change affects mental health is growing, especially with increased use of terms like eco-anxiety and climate grief. However, this awareness is still uneven—many mental health professionals are not yet trained to address climate-related distress,” says Dr. Goyal.
“I believe it’s time we start acknowledging eco-anxiety as real and valid, and include it when we talk about mental health—not as a niche concern, but as a central one,” says Chetna. They both stress the importance of raising awareness to validate people’s experiences and improve support systems.
The Path Forward: Addressing Mental Health in Climate Policy
As climate policy evolves, there is a growing consensus that mental health must be a central component of climate action. Both experts stress that addressing climate change requires not just environmental resilience, but emotional resilience as well. By integrating mental health into climate strategies, societies can better prepare for the emotional toll of a changing world.