Topic: Climate Mental Health

A new term, "solastalgia," has been coined to describe the psychological distress caused by environmental degradation and climate change. A review in BMJ Mental Health suggests that people with strong emotional connections to their home environments suffer higher rates of anxiety and depression when those environments change.

A study published in The Lancet found that over 50% of U.S. youth are "extremely worried" about climate change. In response, universities like Cornell are reframing their curriculum to focus on "solutions and emotions" to combat climate anxiety. Critics argue that media outlets like NPR are "terrorizing" children with data, necessitating these new academic coping mechanisms.

The ARC conference addressed the global mental health crisis and the "cataclysmic" beliefs regarding climate change taught to children. Speakers called for a more optimistic vision of Western civilization and a return to traditional theological movements. The rhetoric is criticized for being overly produced and utopian, with Peterson's leadership style compared to a Moses-like figure.

A climate change video citing the latest IPCC report claims the planet has passed the point of no return for a 1.5-degree Celsius temperature rise. The video transitions into a paid partnership with BetterHelp, prompting a discussion on the massive scale of mental health service advertising in the podcast industry. BetterHelp reportedly spent nine million dollars on podcast ads in a single month.

Leslie Davenport, a climate psychology therapist, appeared on PBS to discuss the rise of climate anxiety and emotional resiliency. The emerging field of climate psychology frames distress over environmental changes as a healthy and empathetic reaction. Discussion centers on whether these psychological trends are a result of trauma-based programming and media-driven fear.

Therapists identify three primary groups suffering from severe climate anxiety: frontline scientists, individuals who have suffered direct losses from natural disasters, and children. Young adults are reportedly reconsidering major life decisions, such as starting families, due to fears about the planet's future. This psychological distress is linked to historical instances of children expressing public grief over environmental policy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a campaign linking climate change to mental health conditions like "eco-anxiety" and "solastalgia." The WHO suggests that governments should increase mental health budgets and promotes cycling and walking as solutions that benefit both the planet and individual well-being.

Google's "Year in Search" for 2021 focused on the theme of "healing," featuring trending searches like "how to stay strong" and "how to take care of mental health." The campaign was rolled out as a native advertisement across several late-night talk shows, including those hosted by Stephen Colbert and James Corden.

An NPR segment featuring Professor Helen Barry from the University of Sydney discusses the impact of climate change on mental health. The hosts highlight a specific quote where Barry suggests researchers must approach the problem to "eventually get the scientific answers that we want," which they interpret as an admission of bias in climate science.

"Climate grief" is identified as a growing psychological phenomenon where young people feel a sense of loss for a future they believe will not exist due to environmental catastrophe. The hosts argue that decades of "doomsday" rhetoric from figures like Al Gore have negatively impacted the mental health and brain development of children. This constant fear is seen as a tool for social and political control.

The hosts deconstruct the 10-step program offered by climate grief activists, which includes accepting the severity of the problem, practicing "sitting with uncertainty," and performing "inner work." The steps are mocked as being inane and contributing to a "noodle boy" culture of fragility.

The inherent need for younger generations to "fix the world" is partially attributed to the terrifying way climate change has been presented to them through media like Al Gore's films. This environmental anxiety, combined with the widespread use of SSRIs and SNRIs, is described as creating a "powder keg" of emotional instability. The segment concludes with a mention of a new media jingle featuring Brian Williams.

Discussions in the UK and articles in Psychology Today have explored classifying climate change denial as a mental disorder. Critics argue that if the government views climate change as a greater threat than terrorism, those who deny it could be deemed a "danger to themselves or others." This classification could theoretically be used to strip individuals of their Second Amendment rights under new mental health reporting rules.

A new movement among "eco-psychologists" at the University of West England suggests that denying man-made climate change should be classified as a mental disorder. The hosts criticize the use of "bogus exactitude" in rising sea level predictions and the branding of skeptics as "climate creationists." They argue this is an attempt to marginalize dissent by pathologizing contrary scientific or political views.