Some people interviewed this month in Washington, D.C. said climate change and its potential impacts make them anxious, and many believe more people need to see it as a major issue and concern, especially young people.
Nicole Narvaez says climate change needs to be taken more seriously.
“I’m anxious about it,” Narvaez said. “It will especially be more of a concern later on for younger generations.”
Debby Hanks also expressed her worry about climate change and its urgency.
“I see it as a big issue,” Hanks said. “Climate change is an ongoing conversation in society but it’s definitely one that needs more attention from people. The world’s burning down.”
In a 2011 article published in American Psychologist, authors Thomas Doherty and Susan Clayton said the psychological effects of climate change are serious for many people, writing: “Global climate change is likely to have significant negative effects on mental health and well-being.”
According to Doherty and Clayton, climate change-related impacts occur among people who may have experienced psychological trauma, extreme weather event and natural disasters, resulting in harm to their state of mental health. Indirect impacts include guilt, despair and grief about what the authors wrote is a growing risk to species.
Psychological impacts through virtual media representations are especially prone to people of younger generations, as teens tend to be heavily engrossed in social media nowadays and are more likely to be affected. A national survey conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication mentions that 56% of Americans said that they hear about global warming in the media at least once a month.
According to a 2017 mental health report published by the American Psychological Association, the psychological effects of climate change are just as devastating as the physical ones.
“Although the psychological impacts of climate change may not be obvious, they are no less serious because they can lead to disorders, such as depression, antisocial behavior, and suicide,” the study noted.
Kristin Cotts understands.
“My husband works in the energy industry, so that’s what comes to mind when I think of climate change,” Cotts said. “Much has to be done to keep this planet habitable.”
Medical journal, The Lancet, states that, “climate change will have many effects on health over the coming decades.”
According to the Yale study, 69% of Americans say that they are at least “somewhat worried” about climate change, 53% feel disgusted and 51% feel helpless about climate change.
Dawn Ellis said climate change doesn’t make her anxious, but she thinks future generations likely are concerned.
“Would it be a top concern for the people of younger generations?” Ellis said. “In a hundred years, maybe.”