All About Eco -anxiety

Understanding eco anxiety

Anxiety arises when a trigger causes a feeling of being threatened, and as a result, the body triggers the fight or flight response. In some, this might trigger symptoms like a panic attack, and in others, the symptoms could be persistent changes in emotions. Eco anxiety occurs in people who worry about the permanent damage that pollution does to nature. The way some food chains are being impacted, some species are becoming extinct and the strange temperature patterns can make you worry about what would happen to the world. The fear that life would be tough in future, the uncertainty about the safety of their future generations, and the worry about the physical ailments that pollution can cause, are all among the many fears that people with this type of anxiety might experience.

What are the symptoms of eco anxiety?

Millions of people are diagnosed with anxiety year after year. Recently, a major chunk of this population was diagnosed with eco anxiety. Everywhere on the internet you see news articles about glaciers melting, deserts experiencing snow after thousands of years and several other worrying incidents. All this can trigger eco anxiety in you and lead to these symptoms -

● Most people feel there is little that can be done about the rapid global warming progression. But if you have eco anxiety,you probably worry too much as you feel powerless when it comes to creating an impact.

● People with any other form of mental ailments are more likely to experience eco anxiety. The key is to raise awareness in the vulnerable groups and show them how everything they do can have a long-term impact on the planet and to give them the hope that it is never too late to change.

● Listening to news about natural disasters can cause insomnia if you are affected by eco anxiety. There might be other implications like loss of appetite and a general feeling of stress that sometimes affect the quality of daily work.

● Having eco anxiety often means being too hard on yourself as you might feel that humanity is responsible for the adverse effects on nature.

● You might also indulge in substance abuse if you are trying to forget the stress and fear in your mind.

Ways to tackle the symptoms of eco anxiety

If you are suffering from eco anxiety, focus on things that make the world around you a better place to live in. It could be something as simple as carrying your own bag to the store in order to avoid plastics. Here are some other tips that can help:

● Start living a sustainable lifestyle. If possible, look for a community of like-minded people online or in your neighbourhood. Connecting with them will give you better ideas to avoid plastic pollution.You will also gain the confidence that there are several people around the world who are doing their best. This will give you a sense of hope that it is never too late.

● Travel often and focus on covering green landscapes. Feeling connected with nature will give you a chance to look at the bright side of things rather than focus on the damage. This is particularly useful for people who start feeling like the earth is no longer safe for them to live or that there is hardly any beauty left in it.

All in all, remember that years of climactic damage cannot be undone overnight. So, if you ever feel like everything you do is futile, remember that every single person’s effort makes a difference. So, do your best and never give up.