Resilience & Resources
Individuals can better withstand trauma when they are connected to their networks off-and online. Connectedness to others is a core psychological need and an essential foundation for well-being.
- Turn to those you’re close to, such as family, friends, and neighbors, for emotional support.
- Online networks can also be valuable in helping to process trauma, anxiety or other conditions. Communities like the Good Grief Network and Eco-Anxious Stories spaces where people can come together to share stories and learn how to cope with eco-anxiety.
Engage in activism. Taking action to address climate change can be a great way to channel feelings of climate grief and anxiety. Become the change by joining national and local action groups, donate to a climate charity, participate in a climate march, or contact your local leaders to advocate for climate action.
Support from others is important, however, there are steps you can take on your own.
Adopt sustainable practices. It’s easy to feel guilty about certain lifestyle practices like using plastic and eating meat, but recognizing the negative environmental impacts of these habits is the first step in adopting a more sustainable lifestyle.
Calculate your carbon footprint and learn about ways you can incorporate green changes into your daily life. While no one person can do everything, your actions do have the power to make a difference- on the environment and on your mental health.
Prepare for emergencies. Taking pre-emptive actions can help increase confidence and the feeling of safety and reduce fear.
- Seek education about what to expect and how to prepare for future climate events.
- Prepare in advance for emergencies by having and practicing an emergency plan. Have an emergency kit that includes food, water, flashlights, a first aid kit, and medication as well as comfort items that can relieve stress during an emergency, such as blankets, pictures, religious objects, and books and games.