The rise of climate anxiety: A conversation with environmental advocate Aidan Mock
How to deal when sustainability and the state of the earth is affecting our mental health
Text: Tiff H
As sea levels rise, so too does our collective concern about climate change. 90% of Singaporeans are worried about environmental issues, yet for some, fear doesn’t even scratch the surface; amidst the seemingly hopeless fate of our planet, we’ve seen an increase in the impact of climate change on individual’s mental health.
Defined as ‘the chronic fear of environmental doom’ by the American Psychological Association, eco-anxiety or climate anxiety has become an increasingly pervasive issue, especially among Singapore’s youth. We speak to Aidan Mock, an environmental advocate and co-organiser of the inaugural SG Climate Rally about the rise of climate anxiety, what we can do about it and his personal struggles with finding hope in a seemingly hopeless situation.
Why do you think there has been a rise in climate anxiety in Singapore, especially among the younger generation?
Greater education and awareness about the state of the world definitely has a big part to play in this. We have easy access to documentaries, books, and articles that highlight very clearly the decline of our living world. Coupled with the rise in environmental catastrophes, it is getting harder to avoid seeing and reading about the climate crisis and the many different ways that it will impact us, even here in Singapore.
Unlike previous generations, the horrific effects of the climate crisis are going to be felt in our lifetimes, perhaps even before we reach the age of 50. A good portion of our lives is at stake, and it is becoming quite clear that the climate is likely not going to be stable when we get older, unlike how it has for our parents and grandparents.
How would you describe climate anxiety?
Anxiety for me is not only about the changing nature of the environment, it’s also about what we can (or cannot) do to make things better. Among many folks I speak to who have climate anxiety, there is a real sense that there isn’t anything our generation can do to make things better in time. We’re viewed as too inexperienced, too naïve, and too demanding by people in power. We’re told that we don’t fully appreciate the trade-offs that have to be made, or the processes that have to be followed to bring about rapid change.
Do you think this phenomenon is more helpful or more harmful?
Oh, it’s definitely harmful, I wouldn’t wish climate anxiety on anyone. Some people might feel that panic and worry is the best way to instil action, but I find that it is more likely to create burnout and paralysis. I think hope is a stronger and more sustainable motivator to push people into action.
Have you ever experienced climate anxiety personally?
My climate anxiety has come in waves. One of the first memories I have is sitting in my dorm room, reading about the Larsen C ice shelf breaking off in Antarctica, and crying my eyes out. I felt this immense sense of grief and dread within me — this feeling that we have so dramatically altered the world now that things in our lifetime will never be the same again, no matter how hard we try. How do you bring back one of the biggest icebergs in recorded history? I couldn’t see a way to do this in the next 80 years.
After that event, I studied more about the climate crisis and got involved in climate activism. Some days would be great, but there were days when I would feel hopeless again. Every time I read about new signs of climate decline or another climate disaster, I felt like I wasn’t working hard or fast enough. I found myself pouring more time into climate efforts as a way to cope with this anxiety and I kept starting new projects or getting involved in new initiatives to avoid accepting the idea that what I was doing simply was not enough.
It sounds like it was taking quite a toll on your mental health ...
In early 2020, I was putting more time into environmental efforts than I ever had before, and I still couldn’t see any meaningful progress or change. I spent almost every waking moment working on climate activism, but it didn’t feel like it was enough to make a difference; I didn’t think that there was going to be a world worth living in by 2050. Australia was experiencing massive bushfires; the Great Barrier Reef was seeing catastrophic levels of coral bleaching; climate disasters just kept coming. I found myself telling close friends that no matter how much work I put in, I felt hopeless and I was struggling to find reasons to get up each day. At this point, a close friend told me that I should get professional help, and I agreed.
I started seeing the school counsellor before getting a referral to an external counselling centre. Working with a professional therapist was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life, and I was able to slowly develop coping habits to manage my anxiety and other personal issues that I had been struggling with. I usually recommend mental health support to all my peers who have climate anxiety (it is a common occupational hazard), but counselling is expensive and is not an option for everyone. I would really love to see greater governmental support for mental health costs because I know too many friends who have bad anxiety but cannot afford counselling.
Did you seek other help aside from counselling?
While I was in the US, I was lucky to participate in an environmental retreat that drew on practices from The Work That Reconnects. That experience was transformative for me and I found myself rejuvenated by the experience. Since coming back to Singapore, I’ve organised a few small-group sessions to recreate the experience and participants have shared that they’ve found it helpful. Joanna Macy’s Coming Back to Life is the foundation of the practice, and it is simple enough that anyone can run a retreat!
I’ve found comfort in the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh and I’ve facilitated small-group environmental mindfulness sessions that draw from the Plum Village tradition. Spirituality and mindfulness are two elements that I’ve found supportive in keeping me centred in the work that I do.
What advice would you have for others who experience climate anxiety?
My advice is to find a team and do something together. It is a terribly lonely feeling to sit alone at home and feel like there’s nothing we can do for our future. If anxiety and fear come from not being able to do anything about a problem, then going out to do something can be an uplifting and life-giving experience.
Over the years I’ve worked with many different groups of people on different environmental issues, and nothing quite lifts my heart like working with a team to find ways to help ease the crisis. Working with other people who contemplate the same fears at night and wake up with the same passion in the morning is comforting. By creating community, we create spaces for others who feel the same anxieties, and sometimes we even manage to leave this world a little better than we found it (which can also reduce the anxiety!).
How are you continuing to offer support to others?
I’m currently exploring setting up a support group for those with climate anxiety. I would be interested in including mindfulness practices and activities from The Work That Reconnects as part of this group. Anyone keen to explore this can drop me an email at aidanmockyongjie@gmail.com.
Is there anything you feel the authorities can do to help?
It would be great to have access to affordable mental health support and have greater recognition of climate anxiety. Therapy can be prohibitively expensive, especially for children who do not have an income yet. Additionally, I have yet to hear of a therapist who specialises in climate anxiety.
I hope to see national climate action that shows that Singapore is serious about protecting the lives of the young and the future of our living world (I don’t think the recently launched SG Green Plan goes far enough). Actively listening to climate activists and include them in decision-making processes would also be welcomed. I hope that our government could be bold in taking climate action that is more ambitious than the rest of the world. On the whole, my climate anxiety would be a lot less if I knew we were doing everything we could to tackle the issue.
About Aidan Mock
Aidan is an environmental advocate who graduated from Yale-NUS College’s Environmental Studies programme. He initially dabbled in environmental storytelling through visual media before pivoting to climate activism. He was a founding member of Fossil Free Yale-NUS and also one of the co-organizers of the SG Climate Rally which was held at Hong Lim Park on the 21st of September, 2019.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
