Climate anxiety & eco-grief

Climate anxiety is mostly about the future: “What will the world be like for my kids?” “Will my town still be safe?” It can show up as worry, a knot in the stomach, trouble sleeping, or feeling on edge when the topic comes up.

Some worry can be useful. It can push us to learn, prepare and take part in solutions. It becomes heavy when it feels constant, overwhelming, or stops you living your life.

Researchers describe ecological grief as the grief people feel for losses in nature that have already happened or that they expect, like species disappearing, landscapes changing, or meaningful places being lost.

You might feel it when the creek you played in as a child dries up, when a forest you loved burns, or when winters no longer feel like winter. It can feel a lot like grieving a person.

Researchers argue this kind of grief is a natural, legitimate response to loss, and that it may become more common as climate impacts grow.

Solastalgia is a word coined by Australian researchers. It describes the distress people feel when their home environment changes in ways they can’t control, even though they haven’t left.

The researchers first studied it in rural communities facing long drought and in areas changed by large-scale mining. People felt a deep sense of loss, made worse by feeling powerless to stop the change.

In the 2021 global survey, 59% of 16- to 25-year-olds were very or extremely worried about climate change, and 84% were at least moderately worried.

Young people also felt let down: 83% said people have failed to care for the planet, and many rated government responses negatively. The more they felt let down, the more distressed they tended to be.

Living through a climate-related disaster can mean losing your home, your belongings, your work or people you love. Many people feel shock, fear and grief for a long time afterwards.

Common reactions after a disaster

• Feeling jumpy or on edge, especially when the weather turns
• Feeling numb or disconnected
• Grief for your home, belongings, pets or community
• Nightmares or reliving what happened
• Trouble sleeping or concentrating
• Worry about money, housing or what comes next

Having to leave your home, for a short time or for good, can mean losing routines, neighbours, schools and support all at once. Many reactions ease with time, rest and support. If they stay strong for weeks, or get in the way of daily life, reach out for help.

Feelings can come back long after the event. SAMHSA notes that the anniversary of a disaster can renew fear, anxiety and sadness. Smells or sounds like smoke or sirens can set off distress too, on any day of the year.

What helps on hard days

• Accept kindness and help from others, and help others if you can
• Be gentle with yourself, and plan something you enjoy
• Draw on your faith or spirituality, if that is meaningful to you
• Expect that special dates, and storm or fire season, may be difficult
• Talk about your losses with someone you trust, if you need to

SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline is free and open 24/7 for anyone in the U.S. and its territories feeling distress after a disaster: call or text 1-800-985-5990 (press 2 for Spanish). Counsellors can help in many languages.

WHO notes that the mental health effects of climate change are not shared equally. People who work outdoors, live without cooling, or live near pollution can carry extra stress and worry.

Drought, failed crops and unpredictable seasons can bring money worries, long hours and a sense of losing a way of life. Research on solastalgia began with rural communities facing long drought.

Rural areas may also have fewer mental health services nearby, and a culture of “just getting on with it” can make it harder to ask for help.

Researchers studying ecological grief have worked with Inuit communities in Northern Canada, where changes to ice, snow and wildlife affect hunting, travel, traditions and a deep sense of who people are.

When the land changes, people may grieve not only nature, but also cultural knowledge and practices passed down through generations.

A 2025 U.S. poll found parents were more likely than non-parents to say climate change is affecting mental health.

Parents may also feel unsure how to talk to their kids about it without scaring them. See “Talking with kids about climate change” below.

People who work on climate and environment issues see difficult information all the time. This can lead to exhaustion, grief and burnout, even when they love their work.

Pediatricians advise limiting children’s exposure to distressing disaster coverage, and the same idea helps adults. Constant scary headlines keep your stress system switched on, even when there’s nothing you can do in that moment.

Try this

1. Pick one or two trusted news sources.
2. Choose a set time to check, like once a day.
3. Avoid climate news in the hour before bed.
4. Mute accounts that mostly share doom without solutions.

Feeling powerless is one of the hardest parts of climate anxiety. Taking action you care about can turn some of that worry into purpose. Pediatricians encourage families to focus on solutions and take action together.

Ideas

• Plant a garden, trees or flowers for pollinators
• Walk, bike or share rides when you can
• Join a local clean-up or conservation group
• Help neighbours prepare for heat waves or storms
• Speak up at school, work or in your community

Many people carry climate worries quietly, thinking others don’t care. In fact, worry is very common. Talking with friends, family or a group can bring relief and new ideas.

Climate cafés (see below) are one way to share feelings with others in a calm, supportive space.

Pediatricians suggest taking nature breaks, and for young children, nature walks and gardening are a gentle way to learn about the planet. Time outdoors can calm the body and lift your mood.

Noticing birds, trees, the sky or the seasons can reconnect you with what you’re protecting, which can turn fear back into love.

Climate change is a huge, global problem. No one person can solve it, and it’s not your job to carry it alone. Focusing on what is within your reach (your choices, your community, your voice) makes the problem feel more manageable.

Circle of control

1. Draw a circle. Inside, write things you can influence.
2. Outside, write things you can’t control.
3. Choose one thing inside the circle to work on this week.
4. When worry about the outside things comes up, gently bring your attention back.

Healthy hope is different from wishful thinking. It means seeing the problem clearly and also noticing the people, communities and ideas working on solutions. Pediatricians encourage conversations that are honest and hopeful, focused on solutions like cleaner air and water.

Ways to build grounded hope

• Seek out stories of local projects that are working
• Notice changes you and your community have made
• Spend time with people who are taking action
• Remember that many people around the world care, too

When we’re tired, hungry or run-down, worries feel bigger. Looking after your basic needs gives you a stronger base for facing difficult news.

Quick ways to calm your body

• Slow breathing: breathe out longer than you breathe in
• A short walk
• Stretching
• Listening to music you love

Researchers describe ecological grief as a natural, legitimate response to loss. Like other grief, it can come in waves, and it often softens when it is shared and honoured rather than pushed away.

Gentle ways to honour a loss

• Gather with others who loved the same place
• Plant something in memory of what was lost
• Visit a changed place and notice what still lives there
• Write a letter to a place, species or season you miss

Take nature walks and notice how the weather changes plants, animals and seasons. Point out bird nests and talk about why animals need safe homes. Garden together and let them help care for plants.

Ask what they already know, and learn simple climate science together. Talk about everyday habits like turning off lights, walking or biking, sharing rides and eating more plant-based foods.

Help them see that their choices can help protect the environment and people’s health.

Teens can talk about how climate change affects society and current events, and why its effects aren’t shared equally. Encourage action they care about, like a school club, writing, or joining a youth group.

Pediatricians also encourage nurturing young people’s leadership, because they may come up with strong solutions.

The Climate Psychology Alliance of North America describes climate cafés as informal, open, respectful and confidential spaces to share emotional responses to the climate crisis. They are led by trained facilitators.

The focus is on thoughts, feelings and experiences, rather than on what people are doing about climate change. They aren’t designed to push anyone toward a conclusion or action, though action can come up.

Community gardens, tree planting, clean-ups and neighbourhood preparedness groups are ways to do something practical while meeting others who care. Many are run by libraries, schools, faith groups or local councils.

Faith groups and cultural communities often bring people together around caring for nature and for each other. They can offer comfort, ritual and a sense of belonging when feelings of grief or fear run high.

Pediatricians suggest families can ask schools about climate learning, and encourage young people to join clubs or youth groups. Being part of something can turn worry into confidence.

Feeling worried or sad about climate change is not a diagnosis. Researchers see it as a reasonable reaction to real threats. It only needs extra support when it becomes overwhelming or gets in the way of daily life.

Young people often report strong feelings, but a 2025 U.S. poll found that 35% of adults worry about climate change every week.

Taking breaks from the news is healthy. But pushing feelings away entirely can make them grow. Talking about them, and doing something meaningful, usually helps more.

Taking action can ease the feeling of helplessness. And when many people act together, in families, schools and towns, small changes become big ones.