Climate Change and Political Anxiety

Everyone can agree that we are living through hard times. The problems we face are ones we all share, and they keep coming. Maybe our bodies and minds would be able to handle these crises if it wasn’t for the backdrop of trying to survive a pandemic. A recap of the events that have happened since the start of 2020 could fill a book, and we all know that they are having effects on our mental health.

Before the pandemic, I would say that for the most part I was mentally and emotionally stable. Yet, here I am struggling with depression and anxiety related to everything post COVID-19, and I know I am not the only one feeling this way. After a quick Instagram poll, 92% of my followers have had increased anxiety due to the political climate, and 83% due to the effects of climate change. Of those followers who answered they are experiencing anxiety, more than a half said it is affecting their sleep, work performance, conversations, and/or school performance. Abigail, a mother of a baby born during the pandemic, says she’s terrified of what the world will be for her daughter as she grows up, “I don’t worry for myself as much as I worry for her and her generation… everything this year has felt like a bad dream, I always feel like I’m going to wake up one day and things will be better in the world of politics and climate change”. The reason why the current political climate and climate change is causing an impact on our mental health is because we see how it is negatively affecting us, the people we care about and our future. Our anxiety lies in what happens after November, who will win the fight for the white house and what will happen next. No wonder we are so polarized politically because we desire to see the best for our future. Yet, how can we work through these emotions and how can we not let everything affect us day to day?

A climate optimist, Anne Therese, founder of the climate action squad and co-founder of role models management, says that she sees climate anxiety a lot in the people she talks to, even those who are climate change deniers, “when you start diving a bit deeper you see that people are deeply concerned about this topic and it shows up in denial.. Denial is a part of anxiety. It’s not that people don’t care, they just haven’t learned to live with this [climate change] and direct it in a way that’s empowering and not disempowering”. Through her own organization, climate action squad, she shows people how to practice climate optimism as a way to cope with anxiety towards climate change, “Optimism in action, the more you do the better you feel because self care and activism are two of the biggest parts of mental health these days. It comes down to whatever you care about, if you don’t do the work and sit on the sidelines then it’s anxiety fueling in itself… but if you show up for the work then you’re calm in knowing that you’re doing all that you can”. So, instead of letting our anxiety make us deny climate change or immobilize us with fear for the future, let us take that next step of saying this is a problem, and I can do something about it.

We are fighting a war online and within ourselves. Every time we open social media we are seeing more and more news related to the problems in the world and that can take a toll on our mental health. We constantly feel like we have to pick a side and be on the right side and then do everything in our power to show that we are right. This polarization can lead to conflict with friends and families that wouldn’t have existed before COVID-19. If we take sides, we are fighting a battle that will take a toll on our mental health. The question is when should we fight and when should we take a step back and how can we do both and make a difference.

I came to my breaking point one morning after lying awake all night fighting anxiety, thinking about the current state of the world. I realized that my anger for the injustices in the world, and my anxiety for what will happen next led me to the point of a mental breakdown. The next steps I took had to be for myself. When I became mentally stable again I could once again participate in the fight for a better future.

The next steps to take care of your mental health are personal to you. Some people need to step outside and look at a tree, take a sabbath from technology, others need to dance, drink coffee, vent to friends. Whatever makes you feel good is what is important. One must be in a healthy mind-state to change the world and make it a better place. Here are some ways that I have found to work through anxiety, fear, and sadness and I hope they can help everyone else who is struggling with anxiety because of the state of the world.

Working through your fear

First, close your eyes (after you read this) and imagine yourself where you are now and the problem you are facing that is causing you so much fear and anxiety. Then imagine a time when you were younger that you were full of fear and anxiety. Imagine going up to your younger self and saying “Hi, you don’t know me but I’m your future self and I want to tell you that it is ok to be scared and anxious”. Comfort your younger self, maybe even give them a nice hug. Now take your younger self to your place now and tell them that what they were anxious about has worked itself out and you are in a better place without that thing you once feared. Now imagine that your older future self comes to you and your younger self and tells you both that you shouldn’t be afraid because whatever you are afraid of now — your older self has worked out. There are things that we have always struggled with, but there are things that we struggle with that have a time and a place, so it’s good to know that eventually your struggle will subside and things will look different.

Working through anxiety in the moment

I heard of this method from my favorite podcaster, Mike McHargue. He says in his show “The Cozy Robot” that when we are struggling with anxiety, and are too much in our heads, we should focus on being back in our bodies. To do that you can practice this easy mindfulness exercise. First take a deep breath and look around the room and say five things you can see with your eyes. Then list four things that you can hear with your ears, three things you can feel against your body, two things that you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Doing all of this slowly, while remaining perfectly still will help you get out of your head and into your body.

Working through sadness

This practice comes from the app headspace, an app for meditation that I highly recommend. When you are sad, anxious or fearful, you can use this method to see your thoughts and feelings in a new light. First, take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus your mind on the rise and fall of your chest. Once your mind goes a little bit off course and starts taking you to thoughts or feelings in your mind take a moment to stop and note it as a feeling or a thought — or both — and put it away, and continue focusing on your breath. This will give you a chance to claim back your mind and give a new perspective to your anxiety.