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As extreme weather events increase, many are wondering what will happen in the future, in a world in the throes of climate change. A concern responsible for eco-anxiety disorders, particularly in the youngest.
The findings of the summer of 2022 are terrible: violent fires ravaging thousands of hectares, dry rivers and lakes, and agriculture threatened by drought. The consequences of climate change are there, and cause concern for the years to come. “I have grandchildren, yes that worries me. What world will they live in?“, testifies a grandmother. The children and the grandchildren, themselves ask these questions. “We see the information and that there are more than 100 municipalities without water. For us, it’s a little scary“, admits a young adult.
A fear that can cause sleep disturbances or panic attacks is called eco-anxiety. Professor Antoine Pelissolo, head of the psychiatry department at Henri-Mondor Hospital (AP-HP), sees more and more patients arriving with these fears and these symptoms. He advises them to take care of themselves through relaxation, or to commit to “to feel useful, to get out of the feeling of guilt, of anger”.
This therapy by the good deed, the scouts of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) recommend it. They devote part of their holidays to collecting waste, and to doing prevention in the creeks of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) to avoid fires. “We have a chance to change. If we all act on our scale, we can, perhaps, reduce the effects that this could have in future years.“, testifies a young scout, already aware of climate issues.