Does this sound familiar?
A heat advisory pings your phone, and the news cycles through wildfires and floods. Even after you put the phone down, the thought "Where is all this heading?" keeps looping. Maybe you feel a stab of guilt at the plastic packaging in your grocery bag, or you've quietly wondered whether it's fair to bring children into this world.
What's actually going on
This feeling is often called climate anxiety or eco-anxiety. It covers the worry, fear, grief, anger and helplessness that can come up when we think about climate change and environmental damage. It isn't a diagnosis — it's a name for a very common, understandable response.
Surveys in many countries have pointed to a clear trend: young people in particular report high levels of concern about the climate. Many researchers don't see this anxiety as something that simply needs to be eliminated. Instead, they describe it as a healthy signal that you've noticed a real threat. Caring this much is a sign that you care about the world and about the people who come after us.
Still, when worry grows too big, it can start to work against you. The more massive and uncontrollable a threat feels, the harder it is for the brain to switch off its alarm. That can pull you into endless doomscrolling — or push you the other way, into shutting the topic out completely because "nothing I do matters anyway." Psychologists note that a long stretch of feeling there's nothing you can do tends to deepen hopelessness. So the goal isn't to get rid of the worry. It's to shrink it to a size you can carry and connect it to action.
Things you can try starting today
1. Name what you're feeling
Try saying to yourself, "I'm feeling anxious right now," or "I'm sad and angry about this." Simply naming an emotion can help it settle a little. This feeling doesn't mean something is broken in you — it comes from wanting to protect something you love.
2. Set boundaries around the news
You don't have to go dark, but give your news intake a container — for example, checking once a day at a set time. Try to avoid climate headlines right before bed. Pairing problem-focused stories with coverage of solutions and real progress can help you keep things in perspective.
3. Pick one action within your reach
Write your worries down in two columns: what I can control and what I can't. Then choose just one small thing from the first column. Bringing a reusable bottle, having a meat-free meal, biking or taking transit — small is perfectly fine. Let go of doing it perfectly and pick something you can keep doing.
4. Don't carry it alone
Climate anxiety gets heavier the more you hold it by yourself. Joining a local cleanup, a community garden, or a climate group can ease helplessness and build a sense of belonging and hope. Even talking honestly about these worries with someone close to you can make a real difference.
5. Catch your breath in nature
Take a slow walk in a park, or spend a few minutes just looking at trees and sky. Connecting directly with the natural world you want to protect can soothe anxiety and remind you why it matters to you in the first place.
When to reach out for help
If worry is keeping you up at night, or making it hard to function at work, school or home, you don't have to push through alone. If a sense of despair about the future won't lift, or you're experiencing panic-like symptoms, consider talking to a doctor, a licensed mental health professional, or your local mental health services. If you ever feel you might be in crisis, please contact your local emergency number or a crisis helpline right away.
When caring about the world starts to feel heavy, Mindy is here to listen, gently and at your own pace.