Wildfires, extreme heat across Canada are causing eco-grief and anxiety: 'How are we going to live?'

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Thousands of Canadians have been forced to evacuate their homes as wildfires continue to burn in British Columbia and Alberta. In Jasper, Alta., a popular tourist spot located approximately 288 kilometres from Banff, firefighters are reportedly facing 300- to 400-foot flames with a fire-spread rate of 15 metres per minute. The city is reporting 30 -50 per cent structural damage, however Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has vowed that the province "will recover" from the devastation.

Amidst extreme heat, wildfires and climate change, some Canadians are feeling uncertain about the future of the environment. Annie Malik, a 33 year old living in London, Ont., often feels anxious or overwhelmed by the environmental state of the planet: Recent heatwaves in Pakistan (where she’s from), heat warnings and record-breaking temperatures in the summer coupled with mild winters in Canada and air pollution from wildfires that are becoming more common during the summer months.

“What is going to happen to the world? If the planet is inhabitable, how are we going to live?” Malik previously told Yahoo Canada. Her family still resides in Pakistan, where air conditioning units are a luxury amid soaring temperatures and a spike in heat-related illnesses.

“There’s no way I can go back during the summers because I can’t handle the heat. ... People are dying every day in the summer,” Malik noted, adding she worries for her family.

Malik’s sentiments are echoed by many Canadians who are feeling eco-anxious, or emotional from the effects of climate change, especially since last year’s record-breaking wildfires. According to a 2023 survey by Unite For Change, 75 per cent of Canadians are experiencing anxiety about climate change and its impacts.

Yahoo Canada recently spoke to Canadians about their eco-anxiety, as well as a mental health expert on how to cope.

What is climate anxiety?

Climate anxiety, ecological grief and solastalgia are all similar terms to describe the emotional distress caused by environmental changes. The American Psychological Association defines it as “a chronic fear of environmental doom” and recognizes it as a legitimate increasing mental health concern.

Cree Lambeck, clinical director at Cherry Tree Counselling, offers eco-counselling services and said some clients can present with both physical and mental health symptoms from ecological issues. For example, someone might struggle with asthma and breathing issues from air pollution. “Other times a person can feel stress or really powerless around climate change,” said Lambeck.

What are the signs & symptoms of climate anxiety?

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, symptoms of eco-anxiety can include:

• Feelings of depression, anxiety or panic

• Grief and sadness over the loss of natural environments

• Existential dread

• Guilt related to your carbon footprint

• Anger or frustration toward government officials

• Obsessive thoughts about the climate

How to cope with climate anxiety

Heather Mak is a 42 year old from Toronto who said she’s felt eco-anxious for well over a decade, which "can feel overwhelming."

Mak transitioned out of a marketing career into the sustainability field, hoping she could take control of some of her anxieties. She's currently in corporate sustainability, working with large businesses on environmental and social issues, and she runs a nonprofit called Diversity in Sustainability.

“How I try to deal with it is by taking action,” she said. “But then again, when you start working in this field, it’s almost like you can never sleep, because the scope of the issue just keeps getting bigger.”

Last year, Mak heard about the Climate Psychology Alliance and started seeing a climate-aware psychologist to help her process some of her feelings from eco-anxiety, as well as burnout from her work.

As recommended by her psychologist, Mak tries to immerse herself in nature as much as possible to keep herself grounded. “There’s also groups called climate cafes,” Mak said. “I think just chatting with others who are going through the same thing really helps.”

Other times, Mak will channel her energy into writing letters to elected officials.

Set boundaries and concrete strategies: Expert

At Cherry Tree Counselling, Lambeck offers clients “walk and talk ecotherapy.” The sessions can be in-person or over the phone and both the therapist and client will chat outdoors.

Lambeck said many people access eco-counselling services, from adolescents to seniors. “People can experience [climate anxiety] throughout their lifespan and it can present in different ways — like with parenting,” Lambeck said. Some research has found that young adults are even hesitant to have kids due to climate change. “There’s a lot of existential worry associated with global crises.”

Considering environmental issues can impact many prongs in someone’s life, like family planning or lifestyle choices, Lambeck said she tries to offer clients practical tools and concrete strategies that might help tackle some of the turmoil. For instance, she might help target some ways a person can reduce their carbon footprint, identify some of their core values, or try to find opportunities or sustainable initiatives the person might be able to participate in.

“For some people, this can help provide a sense of empowerment or control if they’re feeling helpless. Engaging in meaning-focused coping and finding purpose,” Lambeck said.

Another strategy is to focus on boundary setting or limit the exposure of distressing news. “What is the balance between staying informed or excess consumption?” Lambeck said. Images of burning forests, oil spills and floods are plentiful and distressing and can exacerbate our eco-anxiety. “So it’s important to take breaks and set those boundaries and practice self-care and find social support in those times,” she added.

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