Navigating Climate Anxiety: A Guide for Youth During Mental Health awareness Month
By Jules Alvarado; The Alvarado Consulting and Treatment Group
May 12, 2025
The youth plaintiffs in Navahine v. Hawai‘i Department of Transportation. Photo by Robin Loznak
In recent years, the term “climate anxiety” has gained attention, particularly among young people who are deeply concerned about the future of our planet. Although any type of anxiety is unique to the person, Climate anxiety generally refers to fear, stress, and overwhelming worry about the environmental crisis and its impact on our world. This impact is spread across cultures, the globe, all regions and all people. With rising temperatures, natural disasters, and biodiversity loss, it’s understandable that many young people feel a growing sense of despair. So, how can we navigate these real, intense emotions while still maintaining hope and motivation?
Why Is Climate Anxiety So Prevalent Among Youth?
Youth today are more informed than any previous generation about world issues, including climate change. With constant news updates, social media posts, and school curricula highlighting the severity of the crisis, it’s almost impossible to ignore. This awareness is both a blessing and a burden. While it fosters a sense of responsibility, it can also lead to feelings of powerlessness and doom.
Additionally, many young people feel a sense of betrayal by older generations who have failed to take effective action, leaving them to inherit a world in crisis. Older generations may not understand the urgency that our youth feel, nor have the capacity to support our youth during this turbulent time. This can lead to our younger people experiencing isolation from their parents, their families and peers who do not share their concern. This tension can amplify feelings of anxiety, frustration, and urgency.
Home destroyed by a hurricane.
Signs of Climate Anxiety
Climate anxiety can manifest in various ways, including:
Persistent worry about the future of the planet
A sense of isolation and betrayal by those who do not share their concerns
Anger toward those perceived as not caring, or contributing to the problem
Difficulty concentrating on everyday tasks
Feelings of hopelessness or despair
Trouble sleeping or recurring nightmares about environmental disasters
Avoidance of news or conversations about climate change
Loss of desire to connect through sports or other age appropriate gatherings
Recognizing these signs is the first step toward addressing them.
Coping Strategies for Climate Anxiety
1. Acknowledge Your Emotions
It’s okay, and it is normal to feel anxious, scared, or even angry about climate change. Recognize that not all others will understand or support this. Suppressing these feelings can intensify them. Find someone you trust to talk to— a friend, family member, or therapist — about your concerns.
2. Take Small, Meaningful Actions
While one person cannot solve the climate crisis, individual actions can still make a difference. Start small by reducing waste, conserving energy, or joining local clean-up efforts. Taking action, however small, can instill a sense of agency and hope.
3. Connect with Like-Minded People
Joining climate advocacy groups can foster a sense of community and purpose. You’re not alone in your concerns, and working with others can be both empowering and comforting.
4. Limit Media Exposure
While staying informed is important, constant exposure to distressing news can exacerbate anxiety. Set boundaries on how often you check climate-related news and focus on positive stories of environmental progress.
5. Practice Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques
Deep breathing, extending your exhale longer than your inhale 10 times, lowers anxiety naturally. Nature walks can help calm your mind and reconnect you with the present moment. When overwhelmed by fears about the future, grounding exercises can anchor you in the here and now. Plant your feet firmly on Mother Earth as you access gratitude for her gifts.
6. Seek Support
If climate anxiety is interfering with your daily life, consider reaching out to a mental health professional. Therapists trained in eco-anxiety can provide coping strategies and a safe space to process complex emotions.
Finding Hope in Uncertain Times
Grace, Taleah, and Mica (left to right), youth plaintiffs in Held v. Montana. Photo by Robin Loznak
Uncertainty can significantly impact us on a psychological, emotional, and physiological level. It can trigger increased stress activation throughout the entire body. Our brain is wired to seek predictability. When faced with ongoing uncertainty, the brain’s fear center (the amygdala) gears up and creates heightened vigilance and toxic stress cycles throughout our body.
While the reality of climate change is daunting, and we are living in very uncertain times today, it’s important to remember that young people are powerful agents of change. Across the globe, youth-led movements are pushing for policy changes, advocating for sustainable practices, and raising awareness about environmental justice.
Instead of being paralyzed by fear, channel that energy into certain action. Educate yourself, connect with others, and use your voice to inspire change. The climate crisis is urgent, but so is our capacity for resilience and transformation.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s prioritize not only the health of our planet but also the well-being of those who will inherit it. To those who care for our youth, listening to them regardless of your level of understanding or agreement provides them with a space in which they do not feel completely alone. Isolation is one of the top reasons our youth report feeling increased anxiety. If you need support, reach out. By addressing climate anxiety head-on, we can foster a generation of empowered, hopeful, and mentally strong youth ready to face the future — whatever it may hold.