Anxious about the climate? Here are 7 ways to cope | Canada Voices

Ask a Therapist is a series of columns offering insights and advice about common psychological concerns. It is not a substitute for seeking professional psychological or medical care.

As a therapist, I work with many clients struggling with anxiety. More and more, I also hear from people experiencing climate anxiety, a sense of persistent distress about climate change and the future of the environment. It is characterized by fear, grief and a sense of helplessness. Climate anxiety is not a mental health condition, but rather a natural response to a real-world threat. However, if it becomes intense or overwhelming, it can have a major impact on quality of life. According to a study published in October, 2025, a million Canadians report experiencing climate anxiety severe enough to disrupt their sleep and daily functioning.

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Signs and symptoms include being constantly fixated on climate news, physical sensations such as a racing heart rate or fatigue, grief about damaging environmental events that result in the loss of habitats, communities and life, a sense of guilt when thinking about how individual actions may affect climate change, existential dread or feelings of powerlessness about your ability to have a helpful impact on a global problem.

Living with climate anxiety is emotionally heavy, and it is important to practice skills to manage it so that it has less of a negative impact on your functioning. It’s also worth noting that many worries about climate change are realistic, and worry can be helpful if it spurs beneficial action. Coping with climate anxiety involves managing the intensity of anxiety and harnessing it into values-based action.

Avoid doomscrolling

Being informed is important, yet constantly consuming climate-related news can maintain and intensify anxiety. Reading a couple of key articles is different from doomscrolling or engaging with the same information over and over again. Be aware of how you feel when consuming climate stories, and put limits on your consumption, for example, 15 minutes a day.

Talk about how you feel

Anxiety can intensify when we don’t have outlets to express it. The weight of anxiety can lessen when we turn to supportive individuals and share how we feel. Identify people in your life who you feel safe and comfortable with and set aside time to talk with them about your difficult emotions. This creates an opportunity for mutual understanding and support. On the other hand, if you are constantly talking about climate anxiety, it may be helpful to shift focus to other topics.

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Develop additional outlets for releasing anxiety

There are many ways to help release anxiety. Here are a few you can try.

Intentional breathing decreases nervous system activation and lowers anxiety. You can practice physiological sigh breathing by deeply inhaling through your nose, taking a second short inhale to inflate your lungs fully, and exhaling slowly and completely through your mouth. Repeat for one to three minutes.

Journalling can help create space from spiralling thoughts. Set a timer for five to 10 minutes, and write down your thoughts. When the time is up, tell yourself that your thoughts are on the paper and you can leave them there for a bit, and then focus on something else.

Physical activity releases mood-boosting chemicals in the brain and can ease muscle tension. You can engage in mindful movement, such as yoga or taking a slow walk outside, or higher intensity movement, such as a brisk walk, jog or bike ride, which can release the physical energy associated with anxiety.

Spend time in nature

While being in nature and noticing changes to the environment can be distressing, in general, immersing yourself in nature can decrease anxiety, lower stress hormones and provide a relieving break from electronic devices and the news. Get outside. Spend time in a park, amongst trees, or near bodies of water. Research shows that 20 minutes in nature lowers stress.

Focus on what you can control

Dwelling on what-if or worst-case scenarios raises anxiety and a sense of helplessness. To increase a sense of control, focus on specific and realistic actions you can take, such as becoming involved in local advocacy efforts, using sustainable transportation or reducing household energy waste. Intentional personal choices reduce your carbon footprint, while collective action can drive policy change that addresses the crisis.

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Take collective action

Social connection supports mental health and well-being. Being around others who share similar values and goals, and taking action together, can increase a sense of self-efficacy and hope. Explore local environmental groups or organizations that you can participate in. It is comforting to know that you are not alone in your anxiety, and many people are dedicated to lessening the impact of climate change. Further, community is essential for building a sense of collective resilience.

Balance engagement with rest

When the world is on fire, literally and figuratively, it can feel like no amount of work is enough. Yet constantly pushing yourself without taking time to rest and refuel can lead to burnout and an inability to take action. You are not a machine, and there are limits to what you can do in any given moment. By resting, you are allowing yourself to be engaged sustainably. Sit, rest, breathe, drink water, eat regularly, engage in enjoyable hobbies and give yourself enough time to sleep.

Jennifer Caspari, PhD, is a registered psychologist in British Columbia. She works at Tall Tree Integrated Health in Vancouver and is the author of You Are More Than Your Body.