More than half (57%) of child psychiatrists in England are seeing children and young people distressed by the climate emergency, as experts warn that eco-anxiety is growing among under-25s.
Although not yet considered a diagnosable condition, levels of “chronic fear of environmental doom” are likely to be underestimated, while international research has found anxiety is “profoundly affecting huge numbers of young people around the world”. (The Guardian 7 Oct 2021)
My comment: Who can blame young people? The media, almost daily, carries reports of massive floods, hurricanes or unseasonable temperatures – and these are still small beer compared with what people will face by mid-Century. What an individual can do about this seems petty and unimportant in the scale of things. My wife and I were discussing the other day the need for our car, used sparingly and certainly not every day. But the the alternatives are few and inconvenient. We discussed panels on the roof, but a massive tree obscures the sunshine. We eat less meat and are as frugal as possible. But we walk everywhere possible. Good for you, too.