If wildfire smoke, heat warnings or a stream of headlines leave you feeling tense, sad or hopeless, you may be dealing with climate anxiety. It's sometimes called eco-anxiety, and it's more common than most people admit out loud. This guide explains what climate anxiety can feel like, why it makes sense and some calm, practical ways to cope without turning your worry off or letting it run your life.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. It's also not about politics. It's about how you feel and what can help.
What climate anxiety can feel like
Climate anxiety doesn't look the same for everyone. For some people it's a low hum of dread when they read the news. For others it's a knot in the stomach after a smoky week, or a heavy sadness when they think about the future.
Health Canada lists fear, grief, anger, worry, anxiety and hopelessness among the responses people can have when they learn about climate threats. You might notice:
Thoughts that keep circling back to the climate
Trouble sleeping or concentrating
Guilt about everyday choices
Anger at how others are responding
A feeling that nothing you do matters
Some people feel it in their body first, with a tight chest, restlessness or tiredness. Others feel it as numbness, because the worry is so big that switching off feels easier. All of these are common ways for a worried mind to respond.
Why it makes sense to feel this way
Feeling worried about a changing climate isn't a sign that something is wrong with you. The Mental Health Commission of Canada says that eco-anxiety can be a normal response, and that feeling worried, sad or frustrated isn't necessarily a mental health problem. Those feelings can even motivate people to learn, prepare and connect with others.
CAMH makes a similar point about anxiety in general. A certain amount of worry is normal and can help you act on a concern. It's worth a closer look when the distress is strong, or when it starts to affect work, study, relationships or daily tasks. You can read more in CAMH's overview of anxiety disorders.
The World Health Organization has also said that climate change poses serious risks to mental health and well-being. So if you feel it, you're far from alone.
Some of what you feel may be grief. People can grieve a landscape that has changed, a season that doesn't feel the same or a future they pictured. Grief like this needs room, not a quick fix. Letting yourself feel sad for a while, and telling someone about it, is often part of how it eases.
In other words, the goal isn't to stop caring. It's to carry the worry in a way that you can live with.
Taking in the news without drowning in it
You can stay informed without letting the news set your mood for the whole day. A few ideas to try:
Pick a time. Choose one or two points in the day to catch up, and skip it at other times, especially right before bed.
Pick a few sources. A small number of steady sources is easier on your mind than a feed that never ends.
Notice your body. If your shoulders are up near your ears, it's a signal to put the phone down.
Stop at "enough." You can decide in advance that you'll read two stories, not twenty.
Take a screen-free walk afterward. Moving and getting some fresh air can help your mind settle.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada's guide on understanding and coping with eco-anxiety makes the same point: being informed is useful, but constant exposure to negative headlines can make the distress worse.
If your thoughts keep looping after you close the app, our guide on how to stop ruminating may help.
A two-minute reset for the moment you spiral
Sometimes the worry spikes in the middle of a normal day. When that happens, a short reset can help you come back to the present.
Pause and name it. Silently say, "This is climate worry showing up."
Slow your breathing. Breathe in through your nose for four counts, and out through your mouth for six. Do this five times.
Look around. Name three things you can see, two you can hear and one you can feel, like your feet on the floor.
Choose your next small thing. It could be a glass of water, a stretch or the next item on your to-do list.
This won't make the worry disappear, and it doesn't need to. It helps you step out of the spin so you can decide what to do next.
Doing something small and real
Worry often shrinks when it has somewhere to go. That doesn't mean you need to take on the whole problem. A small, concrete step can help you feel less helpless.
Get ready for the weather where you live. The Mental Health Commission of Canada suggests practical steps such as making a household emergency plan, putting together an emergency kit and learning about local risks like heat, floods or wildfires.
Check in on someone nearby. A quick message to a neighbour or relative can make you both feel less alone.
Choose a task with a clear end. Tidy a drawer, sort the recycling, fix something that's been broken. It reminds your mind that effort leads to results.
Spend time outside when the air and weather are safe. Sometimes fresh air and daylight are what you need.
Keep the steps small enough that you can do them even on a hard day. One real step is worth more than a long list you never start.
Talking about it with others and with kids
Climate worry can feel lonely, because people don't always know how to bring it up. Saying it out loud to someone you trust can loosen its grip. You don't need a perfect speech. Try something like, "I've been feeling anxious about the news lately. Can I tell you about it?"
The Canadian Mental Health Association has published guidance on climate distress, including how it can show up and ways to cope. Their article is a good place to read more in plain language.
If a child is worried, here are some gentle ideas:
Ask first. "What have you heard?" tells you what they already know and what's bothering them.
Keep it simple and honest. Short, calm answers work better than long explanations.
Follow their lead. Answer the question they asked, and don't pile on extra information.
Protect bedtime. Keep the news off screens in the hour before sleep, for them and for you.
Notice what settles them. It could be a hug, a story or time with a pet, and you can use it again.
If your child's worry is affecting sleep, school or play, it's okay to reach out for support. Our children's therapy is for ages 6 and up.
When it starts to interfere with daily life
Everyone has days when the news feels heavy. It may be time to reach out when:
The worry is on your mind most of the day, most days
You're having trouble sleeping, eating or concentrating
You're avoiding things you used to enjoy, or pulling away from people
The sadness or hopelessness doesn't lift
You're having panic attacks or feeling constantly on edge
None of that means you've failed to cope. It means your worry has become heavy enough to deserve support. Therapy can give you a calm space to sort through the fear, grief and anger, and to build skills that help you manage them. You can read about how we support climate anxiety and other worries on our anxiety page.
Registered Psychotherapists (RPs) and Registered Social Workers (RSWs) provide therapy. Individual sessions are $130 to $200, and student therapists offer sessions for $0 to $80. Depending on your plan, your insurance may cover the full session fee. No referral is needed, and we offer evening and weekend appointments.
If you are feeling hopeless or unsafe
If the worry has turned into feeling hopeless, or you're thinking about ending your life, please reach out right now. Call or text 9-8-8 any time, or visit 988.ca. If you're in immediate danger, call 911.
Start with a free conversation
You don't have to carry this alone. Book a free 15-minute consultation to talk about what you've been feeling and what support could look like. We don't have a waitlist. We see clients in person in Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and Ottawa, and online across Ontario.