Berkeley – Oakland Lifers

Eco-anxiety is a chronic fear of environmental collapse. Though not a diagnosis, it is associated with obsessive worry, dread, guilt, and even suicidal thoughts due to a warming world. Even for those without eco-anxiety, climate change is increasingly linked to a greater risk of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Acute, climate change-related disasters, such as floods, fires, and heat waves, can trigger psychiatric conditions and induce long-term grief.

Excessive heat and exposure to pollutants like lead and pesticides are linked to mood disorders, dementia, increased suicide rates, ADHD, depression, and schizophrenia. General environmental degradation can contribute to the loss of connection with one’s identity, as well as cultural trauma for land-connected communities such as Indigenous peoples. Some groups suffer more than others, with youth, Indigenous peoples, and low-income communities bearing the brunt of this climate-induced mental health emergency. Therefore, there is a significant need for mental health-oriented policy and care, which must be climate-aware, culturally relevant, and community-based, with a focus on youth empowerment and messages of hope.