From eco-anxiety to emotional fatigue: How climate change is affecting mental health

Climate change can affect mental health (AI image)

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.According to research available at the National Library of Medicine, climate change affects mental health in numerous ways. “Droughts, floods, rising sea level, increasing ambient temperatures and other consequences of climate change can produce increasing psychological distress through many mediators,” the report stated. These mediators include economic strain, forced migration, traumatic events, and a gradual erosion of social capital.

Coping with eco-anxiety and building emotional resilience

Speaking to TOI on the climate change impact, Dr Radhika Goyal, a psychologist and PhD in Psychology, said, “Eco-anxiety, the chronic worry about the planet’s future, especially prevalent among younger generations, is a growing phenomenon.” She added, “Alongside it, ecological grief-mourning environmental losses like disappearing species or landscapes- is becoming more common.”She further talked about the emotional toll climate issues can have on those who have been directly impacted. “At a broader level, climate change is fueling existential dread, straining community cohesion, and challenging people’s sense of security,” explained Dr Goyal. “As these psychological effects intensify, mental health professionals and policymakers are calling for climate action that addresses not just environmental resilience, but emotional resilience as well.”“Understand that eco-anxiety is a rational and healthy response to a real crisis,” further said Dr Goyal adding that, ‘Suppressing it can worsen distress, while acknowledging it can be empowering.”She recommended several coping strategies, starting from acknowledgement. “Understand that eco-anxiety is a rational and healthy response to a real crisis. Suppressing it can worsen distress, while acknowledging it can be empowering,” she said. She urged people to seek community support: “Join climate action or mental health groups,” she suggested. Spending time in natural environments—outdoors or indoors—can provide grounding. On information overload, Dr. Goyal said, “Avoid doom-scrolling. Set boundaries—schedule time for updates, then step away.” Emotional self-care practices like mindfulness, journaling, or therapy are also vital. “Rest, play, and joy are not distractions but part of sustaining long-term engagement.”

‘Climate change is a trauma in itself’

Also shedding light on mental health and climate change link was Chetna Arora, a Clinical Psychologist trainee and co-founder of The Desi Psychologist, a registered health-tech organisation working on raising mental health awareness. She talked to TOI separately about deeper psychosocial consequences of climate change. “We often talk about trauma as something rooted in personal experiences, heartbreaks, losses, failures. But the climate crisis is a trauma in itself- a slow burning one that’s reshaping our mental health in more ways than we realize,” she explained.Chetna further highlighted that rising temperatures and environmental uncertainty are contributing 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 added, “These aren’t just environmental issues. They are deeply human ones.”

Bridging the awareness gap

This call to reframe eco-anxiety as a legitimate and widespread issue reflects a growing consensus that climate policy must be holistic, not just focused on carbon emissions and infrastructure, but on emotional preparedness and community well-being as well.Both Dr Goyal and Chetna spoke about the awareness issue stating that terms like eco-anxiety and climate grief are becoming more mainstream, awareness remains uneven. “Many mental health professionals are not yet trained to address climate-related distress,” said Dr. Goyal. “And these issues often go unrecognized in communities most affected by environmental change.”Both emphasised the need for integrated care models, more education, and open discussions. “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, and these issues often go unrecognized in communities most affected by environmental change,” said Dr Goyal adding that, “Raising awareness can help validate people’s experiences and improve support systems.”Meanwhile, Chetna put it as, “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.”