Climate anxiety is a common struggle you as an empath may face at the moment. Learn how to overcome your climate anxiety with these tips.
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Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
As an empath who feels everything deeply, you may currently struggle with an unexpected fear: climate anxiety. With the recent global developments and all the weather changes, this is a fear that many empathic people face.
The floodings in various areas of the world, the extreme heat waves and changing weather conditions stress out many of us. As an individual, you may feel hopeless and afraid of what is yet to come. Moreover, planning for the future when you don’t know what the future has in store is quite difficult.
In this article, you’ll discover everything you need to know about climate anxiety, how it may affect your well-being and how to calm climate anxiety as an empath.
Here’s What You’ll Discover:
What Is Climate Anxiety?
Climate anxiety – also called eco anxiety- is the fear that the climate will collapse and there is no future for humanity. It involves feeling helpless and stressed.
The rising sea levels, global temperatures and extreme weather conditions along with the pollution taking place are causing this type of anxiety within many individuals.
In recent years, more and more people report that they feel anxious about the climate and its future. Research shows that the amount of cases of this type of anxiety increase rapidly.
Especially the younger generations -who have to deal with the consequences of climate change- are suffering from climate anxiety.
Common Signs That You As An Empath Struggle With Climate Anxiety
You may wonder if your worries and fears are classified as climate anxiety. Below, some of the common signs of climate anxiety within empaths are stated.
Consequences
If you as an empath notice these signs of climate anxiety within you, it is important to be aware of the consequences of climate anxiety.
Not treating your eco anxiety may result in various health struggles. For instance, you may struggle with sleep problems. The increased amount of the stress hormone cortisol in your body may affect your sleep pattern negatively.
Additionally, your appetite may change and you may lose or gain weight because of the stress your body experiences. This change in appetite and nutrition may negatively affect your overall physical health.
Finally, you may struggle with concentration issues. The increased amount of stress and worrying about the future may occupy your mind frequently. As a result, this may affect your work productivity.
How To Calm Climate Anxiety
Many people struggling with climate anxiety find it hard to go about life and act normally while it feels like the world around them is breaking down.
It is an understandable challenge that also you as an empath may relate to. However, it is important to not let your climate anxiety affect your life negatively, as it is better to create change from an empowered state of mind.
There are multiple ways to learn how to manage your climate anxiety. Below, we listed 4 methods to calm your climate anxiety as an empath.
#1 Breath Work
While breathing is something all of us do automatically, it is important to consciously focus on your breathing when you feel anxious.
Breath work involves focusing on the pace and technique of your breath. Oftentimes, anxious people breathe quickly and from their chest instead of the stomach.
Therefore, it is important to practice conscious breathing when you notice your climate anxiety as an empath. For instance, you may try the following two breathing techniques whenever you notice climate anxiety arising within you:
#2 EFT Tapping
Another powerful way to overcome climate anxiety as an empath, is to practice EFT tapping. EFT stands for ’emotional freedom technique’ and involves tapping repeatedly on acupressure points on your body while repeating specific statements.
Through tapping, you activate your body’s natural anxiety response in the brain. While that center of the brain is active, you reprogram your mind by repeating phrases about the situation you are dealing with.
Nick Ortner created a relaxing and peaceful EFT tapping practice for those feeling anxious while facing climate crisis overwhelm. Give it a try when you are facing climate anxiety:
#3 Meditation
Once you reduced your anxious feelings, it is important to take good care of your overall well-being on a daily basis. One of the ways to do so, is to meditate.
Begin or end your day with a short meditation in order to stay grounded as an empath during climate change. Meditation provides your with many health benefits such as feeling calm, sleeping better and increased happiness.
Especially during tough times, it is a powerful method to keep your cool and feel inner peace. For instance, you may try this peaceful grounding meditation:
#4 Adapt Your News Watching Behavior
While social media is a wonderful way to stay up to date on your friends lives and the news, its algorithms may be causing you extra stress.
If you click on a specific news article one single time, the algorithm acknowledges your user behavior and shows you more of that type of content.
This way, you will constantly be fed with new information about the topics you click on. If you frequently clicked on climate articles on social media, the algorithm will show you more of it.
While it is good to stay informed, you as an empath constantly trigger your anxiety center when reading climate news. Hence, it is important to take charge of the moments you want to be confronted with climate news (and all other news articles).
Instead of reading news all day long, try to limit it to one moment a day. Instead of reading news through social media, note down your favorite news sources and go straight to their websites to read updates.
Additionally, adapt the algorithms on social media by unfollowing news sources that cause you stress. Also make sure to mark any climate articles on your feed as ‘uninteresting’. This way, you tell the algorithm that you want to see less of this type of content.
Taking charge of your own social media feeds may help you to reduce your (climate) anxiety rapidly.
How To Turn Climate Anxiety Into Action
While the above mentioned methods are wonderful to reduce your own mental health challenges with climate change, it is important to stand up and help create the change you want to see in this world.
Once your anxiety has settled, it is time to use your voice and resources to contribute to change. But how?
You may feel discouraged and helpless, but there are certain things you as an individual can do to turn your eco anxiety into action. Below, we listed 5 tips to contribute to the climate movement.
#1 Support Environmental Organizations
While we are made to believe that all the pollution in this world is caused by us, the consumer, it is crucial to realize that there are bad guys out there who want to avoid being blamed.
For instance, a recent report stated that 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions are caused by just 100 companies since 1988. Additionally, a new report shows that just 20 businesses are responsible for producing 50% of all single-use plastic.
In order to truly be able to reduce pollution, it is important to support organizations that bring this truth to life. They have, together with all its supporters, the power to create change on a big scale.
While adapting your own consumer behavior is important to show the organizations that we don’t want to live like this anymore, it is equally crucial to support bigger organizations who focus on creating changes in the climate policies.
Which organizations focus on fighting climate change? Here’s are three (of the many) organizations you can support:
- 350.org: This organization stands up to the fossil fuel industry, by focusing on 100% renewables and a clean energy future for all.
- Citizens’ Climate Lobby: This organization helps people to find their voice and stand up against climate change. With direct connections with members of the Congress, this organization aims to realize climate change politically.
- Climate Alliance: Within this organization, the focus lies on taking local action on global climate change. By working together actively with European municipalities and realizing partnerships with indigenous people, this organization aims to reduce CO2 emissions.
#2 Focus On Your Own Consumer Behavior
Supply and demand is crucial for the big corporations to succeed as businesses. Therefore, in order to create change and reduce climate anxiety as an empath, try to adapt your own consumer behavior.
Instead of using single-use plastic, try to use alternatives that are more friendly for the environment. Also, investigate your current recycling routine and see whether you can improve it.
Additionally, try to purchase products from brands that actively work on improving the environment. Spending money on these products will eventually change the market, when enough of us do it.
The bigger, less environmental friendly corporations will have to adapt their products, in order to move along with this positive change in consumer behavior.
#3 Save Energy & Water
How many unused devices are currently plugged in around your home? Try to save energy by unplugging devices which you aren’t using.
Also, try to be more conscious of the amount of water you use daily. There are many ways to save water around your home. In this short video, you will discover some methods to save water:
#4 Change Your Transportation Methods
Instead of using your car to go everywhere, try to reduce your carbon footprint by walking, riding your bicycle or commuting with public transportation. If you live in the city, this is an easy way to have a positive impact on your environment.
However, if you live in a more secluded location where you have to drive to run errands, make sure to combine errands and do them on one day, rather than driving daily. This way, you’ll save much gas in the long run as well.
#5 Consider Eating More Plant-Based Food
Studies have shown that vegans reduce their agricultural carbon footprint by 73 percent. Because a plant-based diet requires less energy, water and nutrients, it is a wonderful way to save the climate.
However, you may find it challenging to go fully vegan. Most of us do! Simply changing your diet somewhat by eating plant-based one or two days a week will already have a positive impact on the industry, if enough people do it.
In the end, fighting climate anxiety may be challenging for the empath who feels everything so deeply. It is logical that you are struggling with this.
By following the tips from this article and trying to take positive action as suggested above, you may be able to overcome climate anxiety as an empath.
We wish you good luck in this process. Together, we will be the change our planet needs today, tomorrow and in the future.
