We have organised a session last month (on Aug 20th) about "eco-anxiety, it's impacts on young people's mental health- and what can we do about it.." at the #ClimareJusticeLibrary with our friends at @asyou_likeitpeers (@selfobsessedfeminist, @jalandharasrishty, @the__philouran and @medusa_gets_you_stoned which was hosted by @sprada_zodiackiller from our team.
👉 The event started with a unique ice-breaking introduction session, where Srishty asked everyone to introduce themselves with their name and one aspect of nature from which they could personify their personality. Many people had very intriguing answers varying from waves of the oceans to the trees and even to the spiders and eagles.
👉 After the introduction everyone was divided into two smaller groups for the sharing circle. Everyone in the circle was given a pen and a paper to journal and write down any thoughts they wanted during the sharing circles. One by one everyone in their circles were given a safe space for themselves to share their experience and effect of the climate crisis on their mental health. The sharing circle went on for 40 minutes and afterwards everyone gathered together again in the Library.
👉 Yashna then introduced Sanghamitra Dixit from there She took over and shared a Therapist’s take on Eco-Anxiety. Sanghamitra talked about different emotions one feels from “Doom-scrolling” and watching news about climate atrocities around the globe. She discussed how Guilt towards the current state of the planet is the most prominent feeling in Eco-Anxiety.
👉 The participants also got to cross question her regarding their understanding of Eco-Anxiety and also found similarities to the participants in Sanghamitra’s survey for her thesis on Climate Anxiety. She shared why she chose to study about Climate Anxiety and how clinically the term “Eco-Anxiety” or “Climate Anxiety” is not yet recognized by professionals. Towards the end Sanghamitra discussed the coping mechanisms for “Eco-Anxiety” and how it can be different for everyone, for some people Activism can be a great coping mechanism and for others it may be switching to a more eco friendly.