Question
What is eco-anxiety, and how does it manifest?
Answer
Eco-anxiety is a pervasive fear or worry about environmental damage or ecological disasters, stemming from concerns over the current and future state of the environment. While it is increasingly recognized as a significant issue in clinical settings, it is not yet defined as a distinct diagnosis in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
Symptoms often include persistent worry, anxiety, rumination, and physiological responses typical of anxiety disorders. Unique to eco-anxiety is the strong sense of helplessness or powerlessness, alongside feelings of frustration, anger, sleeplessness, and changes in eating habits. Eco-anxiety is a broad term, and climate anxiety is a specific subtype where the individual's focus is more specifically on climate change and its impacts.
This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, Eco-anxiety: Symptoms and Solutions, presented by Karen Magruder, MSW, LCSW-S
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