Climate Mental Health
Learn strategies to help students process climate-related emotions, build resilience, and inspire positive action and emotional well-being with CEEE's climate mental health resources.
In response to the climate crisis, many around the world, especially young people, have reported feeling overwhelmed, powerless, sad, and anxious. How can we teach these topics without overwhelming our students or causing anxiety? How do we support youth in stepping up rather than shutting down?
Goals
The goal is to facilitate the expression, processing, and validation of youths' climate emotions while also encouraging positive emotions and reducing stress.
The goal is not to eliminate negative emotions, those who experience negative emotions about climate change are more likely to engage in climate action. However, if emotions are exceeding a personal threshold, it can result in becoming angry or disengaged. Resiliency is not about the absence of negative emotions; it is about managing these emotions without letting them get "stuck" to avoid larger mental health challenges.
By becoming more resilient through taking action, listening, finding shared solidarity in the community, moving through our grief, incorporating trauma-informed practices, practicing social, emotional, and positive coping skills, and cultivating hope, we can expand our resiliency and move towards empowerment.
Challenges
Climate change impacts youth mental health in direct and indirect ways. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlights worsening global effects such as droughts, famine, species loss, and extreme weather, increasing stress and uncertainty.
Direct impacts
Research shows that climate-related disasters significantly affect mental health. Depression and PTSD can persist for years after wildfires or hurricanes. Youth exposed to these hazards may struggle with emotional regulation, academic performance, and resilience. Climate-driven displacement and loss of stability further disrupt development.
Indirect impacts
Eco-anxiety, chronic worry, and fear about climate change’s long-term effects are growing concerns. A global survey of 10,000 young people revealed distress, including sadness, anxiety, and distrust toward governments. Many struggle to navigate an uncertain future, affecting their security. Addressing these impacts requires emotional support and coping strategies.
CEEE has compiled a collection of climate mental health resources, including curriculum, videos, and websites, offering strategies for processing climate change-related emotions and inspiring hope. The resources below combine trauma-informed approaches, mental health support, and solution-focused activities to inspire positive action and emotional well-being. By addressing climate-related emotions, they aim to transform anxiety and helplessness into a sense of hope and purpose, empowering students to take meaningful, solution-driven action for a more sustainable future.
