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Ecological grief, a mental health side effect of climate change
#1
The effects of climate change are happening globally. Some countries are feeling the effects right now. Canada is a such country where there are visible signs. In particular our arctic ice is melting. We are having increasing heat waves and fires. Studies are showing that there is an actual psychological effect.  Some parts of the country and some populations are more deeply effected.
There are signs of anxiety and grief and PTSD.  Our home is changing in ways that make us uncomfortable.

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new...ada-report

What is happening in Canada is happening all over the globe. Humans are increasingly not going to feel at home on our own planet because we have caused so much damage to it. Just because it is our fault doesn't mean it won't bother us.
We are going to have to take this seriously. We are harming the planet and we are also harming ourselves.
  Responding to climate change and working to prevent it are no longer a nice idea or a luxury. There are things we need to do right now before we mess up ourselves and the planet completely.

I am shocked to find that there are recognizable signs of mental health issues in people because of climate change. I didn't see that coming. I should have though. It is a pretty obvious thing when you think about it.
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Catherine

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#2
Yes I hadn't thought of that either, Catherine.

It makes sense when you think of all the effects climate change brings with it. There are so many things which infiltrate into our everyday lives to create stress....and in the case of wildfires and flooding, grief and serious loss too.
And even hearing of the many animals who have become extinct, or suffer as a result is terrible news.
I know. A picture of a starving Polar Bear made me very upset.

I suppose we all think there is nothing we can do about those things. We may even not relate what we do or don't do, to those effects. We may even blame arsonists for wildfires....and continue to forget and continue wth our lives.

Then there are some who don't even believe in "global warming" because they see early cold winters. But global warming brings global climate change. One thing leads to another.

In Britain, for example, if our Gulf Stream became inundated with fresh water from Arctic melt, we would suffer severe winters in keeping with our latitude, as a result. That would be an effect of global warming, but it would turn much colder here.

There are things we all can do. Even the smallest thing, when multiplied by a billion, is an achievement.
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#3
Maybe part of the mental health issues are the feelings of helplessness. People don't understand that they can do  something. 
They know that they can't fix things, they don't realize that we can fix things if we all work together. We don't even need to connect, we just all need to do our part. 

It is like the litter on the land and in the ocean. If we each picked up any litter we can when we encounter it things would gradually get better. If we all make small conservation efforts we can produce positive results.

It is very easy to feel overwhelmed by the changes that have happened and to fear the ones to come.
Life in England would be very different if the gulf stream stops or slows even more. That must cause so anxiety.
If I lived at ocean level I would be anxious about rising sea levels. 
Hearing about species that are lost or almost gone tears at me inside. I have been aware of the dangers to ecosystem of the planet for 50 years and sometimes it is tiring. Instead of progress I see things getting worse and many people not even willing to believe there is a problem. It is hard to stay optimistic.

I think we will see a lot more ecological grief in years to come. It is just one more thing that we are not prepared to deal with.
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Catherine

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