Many can identify with this new term…Eco-Anxiety. This was defined by the American Psychological Society in 2017 as “chronic fear of environmental doom.” We are bombarded by articles related to climate change and especially extreme weather events as drought and the resulting massive forest fires. The globe is hotter than it has ever been. (New Mexico is the second fastest warming state in the U.S.) There are dire predictions as to how many years we have left to make change before the situation becomes irreversible. The powerlessness we feel as eco-anxiety also has a companion of eco-grief for loss of certain beloved places from the extreme weather conditions as forest fires and floods.

Anxiety is normal. It is a reaction to keep us safe. It becomes a problem only when a person feels a sense of danger when it is not present. That is not the case in eco-anxiety. The danger of climate change is real and present constantly. The extreme worry the current situation causes can become paralyzing, interfere with work and life in general. So what can we do?