Be Kind To Your Mind

Your positivity makes the earth turn.

Check the impact of climate change on your mental health. Take this step and look after your mental health in a way that works for you. Try it for a month to see how you do.

Try it

How often do you feel anxious or distressed about climate change?

Be Kind To Your Mind

If you’re feeling emotional about where the world is headed, you’re not alone. From the trauma of experiencing a climate disaster to the anxiety of an unknown future, there’s growing evidence that climate change is having an impact on our mental health.

The climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever faced. At times it can feel overwhelming, not knowing where to start and like our actions don’t count. But there is good news - one of the best ways to support your mental health is to take action on climate - like the steps you see throughout this website. If you feel you need more support, talking to professionals, joining a support group, or trying to practice mindfulness are also good ideas.

Looking after your mental health will give you the strength to tackle climate change - we need you!

Tips

Taking action on climate can strengthen your mental health, especially when you do it with others. So consider taking this step alongside one of our other steps and possibly joining a group where you can take action on climate with others.

Equally important is talking to someone about how you feel. Most people are worried about climate change, but they might not be talking about it, so breaking the silence will help you and others. If it’s difficult to talk to those around you, consider reaching out to new people in your community through initiatives like the Good Grief Network or Climate Cafes. Or ask your mental health professional to become climate aware or trained on the psychology of climate change.

Consider other mental health activities that could help focus your mind, control your breathing and lower your heart rate, such as yoga, mindfulness, meditation and spending time in nature.

Search out an online newsletter about how to handle climate stress, like Gen Dread.

Benefits

Negative emotions about climate change can impact your daily life and how you function. Improving your resilience with coping strategies can improve your mental health, wellbeing, and give you the strength needed to move forward.

It could also connect you to like-minded people, who share your concerns, providing the social support to take action together.

REFERENCES

A gathering of people meeting with facilitators to share their responses to the climate crisis.

Climate Cafes

Climate solutions not only improve the quality of our air and food but also enhance our cognitive abilities and strengthen our mental health.

Climate change and mental health, The Bartlett, UCL

Climate-Aware Mental Health Interest

Climate Psychiatry Alliance

Empirical evidence showing both the acute and chronic mental health effects of climate change has also risen sharply in the past decade.

Ecological grief and anxiety: the start of a healthy response to climate change?

A majority of respondents in every country and territory surveyed say they are “very” or “somewhat” worried about climate change.

International Public Opinion on Climate Change

10-Steps to Personal Resilience & Empowerment in a Chaotic Climate

The Good Grief Network

Over 45% of young people in ten countries, inclusive of low income and high income nations, said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning.

Young People's Voices on Climate Anxiety, Government Betrayal and Moral Injury: A Global Phenomenon and will be published in Lancet Planetary Health by Marks, Hickman et al.