Much of climate change’s burden falls on today’s children and adolescents. They are the ones who will have to survive in this hotter, harsher world. This threat has caused pervasive distress in many youths today—perhaps more than many adults realize.
However, all is not lost. Parents, teachers, and other concerned adults can help address this crisis. They can keep an eye out for potential mental health issues caused by environmental factors. They can offer emotional support. They can help kids develop emotionally healthy coping strategies. When climate change causes mental health issues in children, the support of adults can be invaluable.
Children and teens, with their developing bodies and brains, can be more vulnerable to the consequences of global warming than adults. These include:
Even the heat itself can influence mental health. Research shows that as temperatures rise, people have more emotional arousal. They are more likely to have negative thoughts and aggressive impulses. Youth who already have mental health issues may see their symptoms worsen.
Heat can also reduce people’s ability to cope with intense emotions. Research suggests that as temperatures rise, our cognitive functioning can diminish, making us less able to solve problems without violence. Some individuals may resort to aggression or substance abuse to cope with distress. Increasing temperatures have also been linked to higher levels of suicide.
Eco-anxiety, or climate anxiety, is severe and persistent distress about global warming. Research suggests climate anxiety is quite common among kids. One study surveyed 600 Australian kids ages 10-14. Among the respondents:
Similar numbers have been found in other studies.
If these fears are left to simmer without relief, they can lead to chronic stress. Some children may compulsively check the news or weather reports. Others may develop a perfectionist attitude toward recycling and water conservation. They may feel excessive guilt for circumstances outside their control.
A child could also go to the other extreme, developing a sense of hopelessness. Some children could feel that the end of the world is inevitable. They may lose motivation to do well in school or pursue hobbies, believing their effort won’t matter in the long run. Grief for a lost future could overwhelm any attachment to the present.
Many adults find it difficult to discuss global warming with children. Climate change is an upsetting dilemma with no easy answers. However, children are already getting information (and misinformation) on climate change from their friends, the internet, and elsewhere. It is often better for children to get clear information from a trusted source than to try and sift through the data themselves.
As an adult, you may be tempted to downplay the situation in order to soothe a child’s fears. This strategy can easily backfire. The child may misinterpret your attitude as apathy and conclude nothing is being done about the problem. They may develop resentment, believing adults don’t care what kind of environment they leave the next generation.
At the same time, it’s also important to avoid overwhelming the child with negativity. It may help to show the child examples of activists and scientists who are working to solve the problem. Role models can reassure kids they will not have to face this crisis alone. Emphasize that there is hope for the future.
When faced with an environmental crisis, many individuals do not know how to cope. Andrea Bell, LCSW, SEP, from Long Beach, California, says, “When faced with overwhelmingly terrible news, such as mass extinctions of beloved animals, or the breakdown of the natural systems that sustain all life…it is entirely normal to feel anxiety and despair, rage and overwhelm. We must not pathologize that. However, we should neither act out violently nor remain stuck in passive stress. We all must mobilize to help regenerate our ecosystems. As it turns out, this moving into action to help the planet also stops the stuckness and helps the individual start to feel better. It’s a little bit of stubborn optimism: ‘I’m still here, and I can do something.’ ”
Confronting an issue head-on is sometimes called problem-focused coping. It involves taking concrete steps to solve or mitigate a problem. You can help your kid with problem-focused coping by:
Another strategy is called meaning-focused coping. Its purpose is to help people maintain a sense of purpose and hope in difficult situations. Examples of meaning-focused strategies include:
Research shows children and adolescents with climate anxiety respond especially well to meaning-focused strategies. Since most youths cannot drive, work, or vote, their ability to directly enact change is limited. Furthermore, climate change is too large of an issue to be solved quickly. Meaning-focused strategies can help children maintain optimism and avoid emotional overwhelm.
A child may benefit from counseling if climate anxiety has affected their quality of life. A child counselor can work with the child individually to treat related mental health issues such as depression. A family therapist can work with the entire family to cope with climate anxiety. Visiting a school counselor may also be beneficial if a child’s academic performance has dropped.
No matter what a child’s needs may be, there is a mental health professional who can help them. You can find a counselor near you through GoodTherapy’s directory.
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