BBC: Does climate change make you anxious?

When we talk about climate change, we usually talk about the effect on the planet, or the economic consequences. But all the damage being done by climat change is also having an effect on our minds, our mental health. 

Fires, heatwaves, floods, hurricanes, droughts...the list of climate emergencies goes on and on, and sometimes it all feels like doom and gloom- an idiom describing a situation that is very bad and without hope. This worry is leading to mental health problesm, not just for the unfortunate people who experience climate events first-hand, but for us all. 

In this programme, we'll meet one expert who's investigating the link between climate change and mental health problems and hoping to find some solutions. And, as usual, we'll be learning some new vocabulary along the way.

But before that I have a questioon for you, Sam. The 2021 UK census reported that three quarters of adults in Britain are worried about the impact of climate change, and it's a worry that's shared by the young. According to a survey by Greenpeace, what percentage of young people worldwide say they feel worried about climate change? Is it:

a) 74 per cent   b) 84 per cent      or   c) 94 per cent?

I think the figure will be high among young people, so I'll say b) 84 per cent. 

OK, Sam, we'll find out if that's the correct answer later in the programme. The expert I mentioned earlier who's investigating this problem is Dr Gesche Huebner, senior researcher at Universtiy College London. Here Dr Huebner explains to BBC World Service programme, The Climate Question, what she's been finding it. 

I think we have very clear evidence that, for example, hot temperature- heat waves- are leading to an increased risk of suicide and alos other adverse mental healthe effects. We also have pretty good evidence that, for example, experiencing a natural disaster- storms, flooding- are linked to negative mental health outcomes such as post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety issues. 

Many people who experience a climate change event like flooding suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, ofter shortened to PTSD- a serious mental health disorder that can develop after a very bad experience like war, or natural disasters like a flood or fire. 

But according to Dr Huebner, even people without direct experience can suffer anxiety issues about what the future holds for our planet. This is known as climate anxiety, sometimes called climat doom- a low-level feeling of nervousness or worry about the consequences of climate change. 

These mental disorders are different in terms of how intense they feel, but Dr Huebner describes them both as adverse- having a harmful or negative effect.