Climate anxiety is causing youth mental health problems – Do you understand that?

Essays by Eric Worrall

According to Mission Australia, climate anxiety is the leading cause of mental health problems among young people.

Youth survey shows action is needed on impact of climate change concerns on youth mental health

Published: April 20, 2023

Orygen and Mission Australia are calling for urgent action to address the impact of climate change concerns on the mental health of young people in Australia. new research shows the close connection between the two sides.

The Mission Australia Youth Survey 2022 found that a quarter (26%) of young people in Australia are ‘very’ or ‘extremely worried’ about climate change and almost two out of five (38%) of respondents also experience psychological stress high.

The survey of 18,800 people aged 15 to 19 found that young people who reported being ‘very concerned’ or ‘extremely concerned’ about climate change were more likely to report:

• high levels of concern about dealing with stress
• their mental health is ‘poor’ or ‘fair’
• higher psychological stress
• low subjective welfare
• feel more negative about the future

The Youth survey in 2022 found that half of respondents (51%) identify ‘environment’ as one of the most important issues in Australia today. Some young people are more worried about climate change, such as those who identify as female or gender-diverse and those facing financial hardship.

In-depth statistical modeling shows that the link between climate concerns and psychological stress and negative future prospects is real and unaffected by conventional risk factors. This association was also stronger among young people who identified as gender-diverse, Indigenous or those living in remote/remote areas.

Orygen and Mission Australia said the outcome warranted an urgent response, recommending four key actions to address the issue:

1. Ensure future government youth and mental health strategies include actions that address the relationship between climate change and mental health
2. Partnering with young people when designing actions to reduce climate-related mental health impacts
3. Provides training for professionals working with young people to identify and manage climate-related stress
4. Funds targeted research focusing on the impact of climate change on adolescent mental health

“The impact of climate change on mental health is an emerging but significant issue that is likely to increase as climate change becomes more severe,” said Dr. Orygen’s senior environmental epidemiology and biostatistics, co-authored the report with colleagues from Orygen. , the University of Melbourne and Mission Australia.

The report suggests that while concerns about climate change may contribute to a young person’s psychological distress, it is also possible that pre-existing psychological distress increases the likelihood of anxiety and concern, including about climate change.

“We believe urgent action is needed to better support young people. We want to reduce the impact of climate change on psychological distress, foster hope and avoid despair, and promote positive climate action.”

Dr. Gao added: “Young people are particularly vulnerable to mental health; the onset of nearly half of all mental health disorders occurs before the age of 18. Given the extreme climate events that have occurred in Australia over the past three years, it is likely that climate concerns are contributing exacerbate mental health conditions for some of our young people.”

Mission Australia’s Executive Director of Practice, Evidence and Impact, Marion Bennett, agrees and adds: “Young people in Australia are telling us that the threat of climate change is just as common The frequency and increasing severity of extreme weather is taking a toll on their health and well-being.

“We can see in this report that young people experiencing financial hardship over the past year are particularly concerned about climate change, which is in line with what Mission Australia frontline staff see in some of the vulnerable young people we support through our housing and community services.

“Most young people want action on climate change, and Australia must act to reduce the harm young people are experiencing.

“We urge governments to update their youth and mental health strategies so that all young people in Australia can access mental health services, raise awareness and upskilling professionals in the field of climate-related remediation. It is also important that governments work with young people to jointly design solutions to address their climate-related mental health concerns.”

Dr Gao added: “We are currently conducting a research program with our partner organizations to support a better understanding of the impacts of climate change on youth mental health as well as as evidence-based resources for professionals working with youth.”

Climate concerns and youth mental health findings from the Mission Australia Youth Survey 2022

Press release sources: https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/media-centre/media-releases/youth-survey-shows-need-for-action-on-impact-of-climate-change-concerns-on-youth-mental- health

Australian missionary is a Christian charity with a focus on reaching and assisting the homeless and other people in need.

Worrying about climate change and mental health issues is leading to other serious problems. Based on Dr. Alex WodakA leading Australian drug addict (now retired), climate anxiety is a factor driving young people to self-destruct with heavy drugs.

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First, the threshold step is to redefine drugs as primarily a health and social issue rather than primarily a law enforcement issue. Second, drug treatment must be expanded and improved until it reaches parity with other health services. Third, all penalties for personal drug use and possession must be abolished.

Fourth, as much of the drug market as possible must be regulated while recognizing that a portion of the drug market is regulated, such as methadone treatment, needle and syringe programs, injection centers. medically supervised injection. Of course, it will never be possible to regulate the entire drug market. We have regulated parts of the drug market before. Edible opium was taxed and regulated in Australia until 1906 and in the United States, Coca-Cola contained cocaine until 1903.

Fifth, efforts to reduce demand for potent psychoactive drugs in Australia have yielded limited benefit and require a new focus. unless and Until young Australians feel optimistic about their future, demand for drugs will remain strong. Young people, understandably, want more certainty about their future prospects, including climateeducation, employment and housing affordability. Change will be slow and incremental, like all social policy reforms.

As Herb Stein, an adviser to President Nixon, put it:
Things that can’t go on forever don’t.

Prohibition of drugs cannot go on forever and will be replaced by liberal paternalism. Thank.

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Source: Reverse camera (original link from 2019 no longer works)

Of course, the risk of children turning to heavy drug use and debauchery to fund those drugs is just one possible consequence of youth climate anxiety. Youth climate anxiety is fueling the mushrooming of extremist groups like Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil, High tidean alphabet soup of youth-run radical environmental groups whose members regularly put themselves at risk of injury or death by stopping trains, stopping traffic, vandalizing buildings house or artwork or stick yourself to the road.

I doubt politicians will heed Mission Australia’s call to intervene, given their perceived bad education policies, which in some cases promote the indoctrination of a forced climate change. alarm, may be the main cause of youth anxiety about climate.

If anything, climate transmission is being accelerated, driven by scientists advocate the social engineering levels of communist China, to force compliance with green behavior.

Our children will continue to be the most forgotten victims of climate extremists, for the foreseeable future.