WEF: Eco-anxiety a Driver of the Mental Health Pandemic

Source: (https://bit.ly/3Up36xr)
Big news from the World Economic Forum's agenda
(https://bit.ly/3WQr6vb) article: Eco-anxiety is a major mental
health issue for our young people.
67% of young people are concerned about the impact of climate
change on their mental health.
Reread this, please!
They are not merely worried about climate change. They are
concerned about the impact of worrying about "climate change"
on their MENTAL HEALTH!
Since many of my readers are not currently suffering from
eco-anxiety, some may not immediately understand the mental
struggle. But it is real, I assure you.
So bad is the climate change anxiety that there exists a "Climate
Psychiatry Alliance," an organization of psychiatrists helping those
suffering from climate change anxiety. Watch the co-founder
of "Climate Psychiatry Alliance" explain her work helping sufferers
of climate anxiety.
https://youtu.be/ZgebZNcRHkA
World Economic Forum's article acknowledges that there is a mental
health pandemic caused by eco-anxiety:
Identifying as female, using social media, and having a sense
of helplessness all increase susceptibility to this new global mental
health pandemic.
Fortunately, the WEF has a suggestion on how to cope with climate
anxiety: engage in activism. A young sufferer of climate change
anxiety Sofia Palau, did just that. To alleviate her sense
of helplessness, she joined a youth climate activism group,
"Youth vs. Apocalypse," whose purpose is actually to create MORE
climate anxiety.
No doubt, like most in-groups, "Youth vs. Apocalypse" take pains
to validate and normalize their climate anxieties. Having "climate
change panic attacks" is a matter of course for them and
is celebrated.
Recruiting more young people into their climate advocacy group
reaffirms their general outlook. It finds an outlet for frustrations
that rule its members. Watch the video if you want:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJr8fuqbkqE
While emotion-focused coping has been the most common strategy
used by adolescents and young adults to date, research has found that
meaning-focused coping is the most effective in regards
to eco-anxiety. When done correctly, meaning-focused coping, such
as getting involved in the fight against climate change through
volunteering or campaigning, facilitates positive emotions like hope
without ignoring negative ones like anger or anxiety.
The end result is processing, rather than getting stuck in, anxiety
and feeling motivated to engage in activism and other
pro-environmental behavior.
What is the result? More and more anxiety-affected young people
suffering from real mental health problems, with adults in charge
recommending that they get together and recruit more people who
would also be made to suffer from climate anxiety.
The likely outcome is mass psychosis or mass formation of people
who are good and well-intentioned but stuck in an anxiety-ridden
in-group circular dynamic.
This pandemic of climate fear is not entirely dissimilar to the "mass
formation" that Matias Desmet discussed so many times concerning
whipping up fear during the Covid pandemic. Is the climate anxiety
mass formation purely accidental? Not really.
All this is facilitated by rich old men with well-positioned
investments, of course.
The press, sponsored by the same rich old men, intentionally creates
climate anxiety in people also:
Kids are particularly targeted with child-friendly but
anxiety-provoking messaging:
I hope my somewhat tongue-in-cheek but completely accurate
retelling of what is going on in the mental health/climate activism
world was interesting and perhaps made you smile.
Do NOT, please, make my story into a justification to dismiss your
children! If your children, or young friends, suffer from climate
anxiety, remember that
- they are human beings
- they base their emotions on what they see on TV and on their social
feeds
- that stuff is important to them
- rebelliousness is a part of growing up
- anxiety, helplessness, and hysteria do NOT need to be parts
of growing up
- we live in an uncertain world, and some of their concerns may
be justified
- the number one goal is NOT to lose their trust and respect
- never dismiss them as persons or make fun of their anxieties
Any parent whose child has ANY anxiety needs to engage with the
child, listen to them, NOT be judgmental, offer support, etc. Our
children are NOT copies of ourselves (I bet you changed compared
to when you were 16 also,) and we cannot force them to think the
way we want.
A bonus is instilling a sense of self-reliance and internal locus
of control in your children so that they do not feel "helplessness"
and are not compelled to be a part of groups to normalize their
anxieties. Helplessness drives many bad decisions and affects mental
and physical health.
I am not a child psychiatrist or anything, but if my own hypothetical
daughter (I have two great sons) suffered from climate anxiety,
I would listen to her extensively. Then I would plant trees with her
and make her dig big holes (the bigger, the better) to plant larger
trees. Small trees are too easy. Perhaps plant a garden to "use less
diesel fuel to grow food."
Challenge some of their most anxiety-provoking beliefs without
dismissing them. Explain how this tree needs CO2 to grow. That
could give the child a sense of purpose and balance instead
of falling prey to lunatic groups like "Youth Apocalypse."
If you, my reader, disagree with me, you are welcome to comment
and explain why.
My message would be remiss without noting that we, Covid-skeptics,
also form an in-group with a very special narrative. Being vilified
and targeted by the media, of course, does not help. Worrying about
our health and loved ones could also create anxiety - oftentimes
justified. A sense of helplessness among the unvaccinated was
purposely instilled:
https://youtu.be/q0qoim0eJMY
I am also, frankly, worried about what will happen with excess
mortality and reduction in births!
Thus, we could be susceptible to the same challenges as some
climate-anxious young people. So let's make sure that we keep each
other challenged, debate, and use our virtual gatherings to at least
somewhat alleviate our anxieties instead of always whipping them
up. I am personally guilty of making several anxiety-provoking posts.
I kind of realized that a while ago and try to mix them with good
news to keep the balance.
Sorry if I sound too opinionated. Guilty as charged.
What do you think about the climate change mental health crisis?