I had two articles published on the Rooted Blog recently on Climate Anxiety. A bit of research turned up some fascinating but often sad realities among teens today. Here is a snippet…
Today’s students often feel terrified when it comes to climate change. We find ourselves with a new diagnosis in our society, one that affects younger generations more than older ones. Climate anxiety, sometimes called eco-anxiety, is described by the American Psychological Association as “a chronic fear of environmental doom.” Panic and/or anxiety attacks due to climate change fears are commonly reported by mental health professionals. Additionally, rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide among teenagers are at their highest levels in two decades.
How do we best serve a generation that is fearing the worst for the environment? Or even worse, fearing an apocalyptic future? Can we even approach this overly political and highly polarized subject?
Our best chance comes from teaching Scripture effectively, so students grasp biblical truth before applying it to an anxiety-creating topic. Before getting into Scripture though, let’s look at where climate anxiety stems from and what we know about it.
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