The Mental Health Toll of Climate Change: Coping Strategies for Climate Anxiety

The recent floods across Texas have left many communities heartbroken and devastated with lives forever changed. While physical damage is visible, the emotional toll of devastating climate disasters often goes unseen, leaving many individuals struggling to process such harrowing tragedies.

Natural disasters like these don’t just impact our surroundings; they also deeply affect our minds and hearts. And as climate change fuels more extreme weather, feelings of anxiety, grief, and helplessness are on the rise. Whether you were directly impacted by the floods, grieve for those who have lost loved ones or find yourself worrying about the future, know that you are not alone. 

Here’s how climate change and mental health are connected, and what you can do to care for yourself in uncertain times.

How Climate Change Impacts Mental Health

When extreme weather strikes, it can trigger a wide range of emotional responses including eco-anxiety, a growing phenomenon describing persistent worry about the future of our planet. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed watching news coverage of floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. Even if you weren’t directly impacted by the Texas floods, you may feel a sense of unease or sadness as you witness the devastation.

Other feelings people may experience include: 

• Grief over the loss of communities and family systems 

• PTSD for those directly affected by traumatic events

• Stress and anxiety from disrupted routines and safety concerns

  
  

Regulating Your Nervous System After News of a Natural Disaster

When we experience a natural disaster or even hear about one, our nervous system can go into “fight, flight, or freeze” mode. This is the body’s way of protecting us, but it can leave us feeling hypervigilant, exhausted, or shut down.

To help your body return to a state of balance, try these nervous system regulation techniques:

1. Orienting to Your Environment. Gently look around the space you’re in and notice five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This grounds your body in the present.

2. Breathwork. Slow, deep breathing helps signal safety to your brain. Try inhaling for 4 counts, holding for 4, exhaling for 6, and pausing for 2 (a technique often called box breathing).

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation. Tighten and release different muscle groups to help your body discharge stored tension.

4. Movement. Even gentle movement like stretching or walking can help regulate a nervous system stuck in freeze or shutdown. 

   
   

Finding Hope Through Action

Feelings of helplessness are common after climate disasters. Taking small, meaningful steps can help restore a sense of agency:

1. Volunteer with local relief efforts for flood-impacted communities by considering what piece of the climate puzzle you feel energized about. 

2. Take smaller steps to adopt eco-conscious habits to align your actions with your values

3. Adopt eco-conscious habits, like reducing waste or supporting sustainable businesses.

   
   

Collective action does make a difference and being part of a community effort can be healing

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed by the weight of these times. Your feelings are valid, and prioritizing your mental health is essential. Whether you’re processing the trauma of recent floods or navigating eco-anxiety, support is available.

At Being Wellness Dallas, our therapists are here to help you find calm, build resilience, and create space for hope even in the face of uncertainty.