What Is Eco-Anxiety – And Why It Matters That You’re Feeling It
5 min Read | Alex Taylor Jun 6, 2025
If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at night worrying about the future of the planet, or felt a sense of dread or sadness after reading yet another headline about species loss or climate breakdown, you’re not alone.
These emotional responses are increasingly common, and they have a name – eco-anxiety.
Eco-anxiety isn’t a mental illness. It’s a normal, human response to a world that’s in crisis. It shows up in different ways for different people. Some experience chronic worry or despair. Others feel guilt, overwhelm, or even grief.
You might notice a sense of helplessness creeping in, or feel unsure how to act in a way that really makes a difference. I know I’ve felt all of those things at some point, and it can all feel too much, especially for those of us who care so much about nature.
Why Does It Affect Us So Strongly?
Eco-anxiety tends to affect those of us who already have a deep connection to the natural world.
If you find comfort in trees, birdsong, wild places, or your local green space (like me – a tree-hugger and proud of it…), it’s likely because you have a relationship with the natural world.
That connection is amazing, and it makes us feel good when we experience it, but the flip side is that it means you are impacted most strongly by the loss of nature we are seeing all around us.
You might feel as though you’re carrying a double burden – sadness for what’s already being lost, and pressure to do more to stop it. If you’re like me, you can feel like there’s so much to do, and because you can’t do it all, you feel overwhelmed.
So much of what needs to be done is out of our control, too, so we get frustrated and angered by the inaction of others.
This can all lead to racing, anxious thoughts, burnout, emotional fatigue, or a kind of numbness where you stop letting yourself feel anything at all. These are your brain and body’s way of protecting you but they can also lead to disconnection, fear and a kind of paralysis.
The Many Faces (and Names) of Eco-Anxiety
The term “eco-anxiety” is only one way people describe what they’re going through.
Some call it climate anxiety. Others talk about ecological grief, global dread, solastalgia (a sense of homesickness for a place that’s changing), or environmental despair. Some simply say they feel overwhelmed or stuck. Whatever words you use, what you’re experiencing is basically the same – you're emotionally impacted by what’s happening to the Earth and all species we share it with.
And that makes sense, because you are part of nature too. When something harms the ecosystems you’re part of, it’s going to affect you – emotionally, mentally, and even physically.
How Widespread is Eco-Anxiety?
Eco-anxiety isn’t just a niche concern – it’s something millions of people around the world are feeling, especially as climate impacts become harder to ignore. It’s not formally diagnosed like a mental health condition, but research suggests that a significant number of people around the world are experiencing emotional distress linked to the environmental crisis.
A 2021 study published in The Lancet surveyed 10,000 young people aged 16 to 25 in ten countries. The results showed that 59% were very or extremely worried about climate change, with 84% at least moderately worried. More than half reported feeling sadness, anxiety, anger, powerlessness, and guilt, and 45% said these feelings “negatively affected their daily life and functioning.”
This trend isn’t limited to young people. In the UK, 74% of adults reported feeling very or somewhat worried about climate change – documented in a 2022 survey by the Office for National Statistics. Climate change ranked as their second biggest concern, behind the rising cost of living.
And in my home country of Scotland, research commissioned by Consumer Scotland found that 77% of people are concerned. Often the people it affects most are those who care, but aren’t what we or they would call activists. These are everyday people who want to help but feel overwhelmed, helpless, or unsure what to do.
During my own journey with eco-anxiety, I often wondered why so few people around me were as affected as I was. But maybe they were, they were just not talking about it. Because it’s still not something I hear discussed in day-to-day life or on mainstream media.
However, as the impacts of the climate and biodiversity crises become more visible in our everyday lives, this quiet emotional struggle is going to become increasingly common.
And we must be more open about how it’s making us feel.
What It Means If You’re Feeling This Way
It means you care. It means that you’re paying attention to what’s harming the planet and you haven’t chosen to ignore it. And it’s not something to be ashamed of. Eco-anxiety is most definitely not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of empathy and awareness.
But it can become a problem if it leads to paralysis, hopelessness, or disconnection. That’s why it’s important to face it, understand it, and find ways to cope with it without being consumed by it. You don’t need to “fix” your eco-anxiety. You need to work with it so that it doesn’t take over your life. That’s where mindful nature connection comes in.
You don’t need to “fix” your eco-anxiety.
You need to work with it so that it doesn’t take over your life. That’s where nature-based mindfulness comes in.
Why We Need to Look After Ourselves – Especially If We Care Deeply
It can feel indulgent or even a bit selfish to take time for your own well-being when the world is almost literally burning. But the truth is, if you’re someone who cares about the Earth, you need to stay well, because the planet needs you to be well.
Those of us who care about what’s happening are the ones most likely to act, speak up, create change, and advocate for a better future. You can’t keep doing that if you’re struggling with all the feelings that eco-anxiety brings up. Caring for yourself and caring for nature are not separate things.
They are deeply connected. When you take care of yourself, you become more resilient.
When you are more often in the present moment, you’re less likely to let your anxious thoughts take over. When you feel joy and awe and connection with nature, you remember what’s worth fighting for.
Being Natureful
That’s what my Be Natureful approach is all about. We can cope with eco-anxiety not with denial or despair, but with strength and hope.
Mindfulness is a great way to calm your thoughts and ease your anxiety. The presence of nature does the same. So, when we combine them both – its powerful!
You are definitely not powerless – you can take control of your eco-anxiety, use practices in your daily life that will help you cope, and channel it into positive action. And remember, most importantly of all, you’re not alone.
