Coping with climate anxiety: The struggles of Bangladeshi youth

This year, winter has been very unpredictable in Bangladesh with record low temperatures. Just last year, the country faced similar erratic weather patterns with frequent floods, scorching summer heat waves, sudden winter temperature drops, and lesser monsoon rainfall. 

Experts predict that we will face more unpredictable weather events in the coming year due to climate change.

As we navigate the firsthand impacts of climate change as a climate-vulnerable nation, our social media feeds also consistently bombard us with increasingly alarming climate-related updates. This, combined with reports of extreme weather events worldwide, is significantly affecting the mental well-being of the youth.

Umme Hani Lamiya, a 20-year-old student from North South University, shares that her awareness of the consequences of climate change has taken a toll on her mental well-being, causing a sense of helplessness. She expresses, "I came across a news article recently that projected this year to be the hottest on record. The clock is ticking, I feel like we are running out of time."

Rakibul Islam Rakib, a 21-year-old student at Dhaka University, reveals that his visits to remote and climate-vulnerable areas have heightened his awareness of the consequences of climate change. He has been experiencing climate anxiety since college. "I feel a sense of grief, but I'm unsure of what action to take or how to navigate through this," he shares.

Experts have defined this new form of worry as climate anxiety. According to Sarah Lowe, Associate Professor at the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health, as stated in a report by Yale Sustainability, "Climate anxiety is fundamentally distress about climate change and its impacts on the landscape and human existence. This may manifest as intrusive thoughts or feelings of distress about future disasters or the long-term future of human existence and the world."

Fundamentally, climate anxiety is anxiety stemming from uncertainty about the future, and this feeling of helplessness or grief about the environment is not uncommon. In a recent international study, over half of respondents between the ages of 16 and 25 responded that they were worried about climate change. Among them, 59 percent expressed being very concerned, while 84 percent reported at least a moderate level of worry. Over 50 percent indicated experiencing emotions such as sadness, anxiety, anger, powerlessness, helplessness, and guilt.

Rakib Shahriar Rimen, a 25-year-old entrepreneur, revealed that he has been grappling with climate anxiety since his first year of university. "I have experienced climate anxiety ever since I got into the climate tech world and started studying climate change and its impact."

However, he strives to remain optimistic and stresses the importance of having a positive mindset in tackling the effects of climate change.  

"As I am working on a greenhouse gas emission reduction device, I am very aware of climate change and its impact. Personally, I tend to be positive and hopeful. Our generation is more climate-conscious than any previous generation and is doing great work. So, I always tend to look on the greener side and focus on what I can do from my place to mitigate the effect," shares Rimen. 

While climate anxiety can be debilitating, it's crucial to underscore the importance of being hopeful. Climate anxiety can cause young people to feel helpless and powerless. One of the antidotes to climate anxiety is cultivating a sense of hope like Rimen. 

Learning to manage climate anxiety is important to prevent being overwhelmed by emotions and to remain committed to climate action as it can deter young people from engaging in climate action, which can feel meaningless in the face of existential worries.

Rifat Anik, a 21-year-old documentary filmmaker and project lead at Stories of Change, a platform amplifying the voices of those most affected by the climate crisis in rural Bangladesh, recounts his journey of managing climate anxiety while being actively involved in the climate field.

"Personally, I used to struggle with striking up conversation about my own worries about climate change when I was younger because no one wants to talk about how uncertain the future is. It felt isolating. I became a climate storyteller in hopes of sparking more productive conversation around climate change in order to help people move forward from this feeling of 'paralysis' that stems from climate anxiety." 

While it may not seem like it, it is possible to cope with the big climate emotions of grief, hopelessness, and powerlessness. Whether it is hopelessness regarding the lack of immediate response to tackle climate change or grief over the loss of environment as Umme and Rakibul share, it is important to acknowledge our feelings and prevent escalation into panic or paralysis. 

Recognising and acknowledging one's feelings, adopting a mindful news consumption approach, fact-checking information to avoid falling into the climate disinformation trap online, and seeking support from online communities are effective ways to manage climate anxiety. It's essential to address these emotions and allow individuals to stay engaged and take positive action toward mitigating climate change.

"It's necessary to talk about the issue. Addressing climate anxiety can feel intimidating due to its existential nature, but it's vital to engage in conversations to keep exploring solutions. Acknowledging these feelings is essential, even if it may feel isolating. Connecting with others, sharing concerns, and discussing the issue makes it easier to move forward," suggests Rifat on dealing with climate anxiety.

References: 

1. Yale Sustainability (March 13, 2023). Yale Experts Explain Climate Anxiety

2. The Lancet (December, 2021). Climate anxiety in children and young people and their beliefs about government responses to climate change: a global survey