by Jeff Watson
“Damn, another burnt-out light bulb!”
Annoyance.
“Got to fix that stubborn door again.”
Aggravation.
“There might be a heatwave headed our way.”
Concern.
“That coming storm might mean a basement flood.”
Trepidation.
“Those are huge waves and it’s 2 a.m.”
Dread.
“The forest fire is heading our way.”
Fear.
All of the above emotions differ only in degree. The circumstances causing them also share one thing in common. There is a predictable outcome, and the time between the problem and the fix is likely to be reasonably short. The bulb will be replaced, the door repaired, the basement redone, the house cleared of water, and, in the worst case, the damages from the fire will hopefully be repaired and restored. Somehow, life will go on.
However, what happens when these occurrences become repetitive and increasingly magnified in their impacts? Besides the coin coming out of our pockets and the time spent on fixes, what kind of a toll does it take on the less visible aspects of our lives and beings? What is the ultimate price of climate change on our personal and societal well-being while we’re dealing with the relatively more visible physical changes around us?
“Climate change is a good example of a threat humans are awful at dealing with: a problem with enormous consequences over the long term, but little that is sharply visible on a personal level in the short term. It could be the most stressful slow-moving issue ever.”
Some impacts from climate change can be relatively unobtrusive in the short term but may become increasingly debilitating when they persist. Climate change is a good example of a threat humans are awful at dealing with: a problem with enormous consequences over the long term, but little that is sharply visible on a personal level in the short term. It could be the most stressful slow-moving issue ever. Under such circumstances, the various emotional stages mentioned above do not move linearly. Fear or dread is likely the first stage reaction, followed by a mixture of trepidation, discomfort, despair, concern and even, in its due course, acceptance.
the carbonization of the mind
The effects of climate change are not confined to an individual; they affect us all. The consequence? An intimate mix of stresses in each and all of us as a society. Countries often in armed conflict, either internally or with their neighbours, know all about this.
“Flooding and prolonged droughts have been associated with elevated levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders”
This phenomenon is called Continuous Traumatic Stress (CTS), which is caused by climate fatigue - information or experience overload that can overwhelm individuals. CTS can lead to irritability, anxiety, depression, hyper-vigilance, and blaming in individuals and societies-at-large. For example, in the Windsor-Essex region, flooding has become a common consequence of the changing climate. According to the United States government’s Ready Campaign, “Flooding and prolonged droughts have been associated with elevated levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorders”. These behaviors are not only imbued in individuals –– they are symptoms of the “exhausted majority”. There are numerous consequences of CTS, one of which is the rise of tribalism, defined as attaching yourself to people who interpret and react to news in the same manner as you do.
The reader can consider the variations in their own life - think of which groups you feel a closeness to, and how that affects your actions or inactions in society in turn.
Another result of CTS is fatalism. This is the attitude that makes people feel defeated and resigned in the face of a dire future that seems inevitable. “If we’re doomed, then there’s nothing to be done anyway”. Several years ago, a Canadian Decima survey noted that even though the majority of people agreed that climate changes were happening and the negative impacts could be serious, 80% of the interviewees were not prepared to make substantial lifestyle changes unless they saw their neighbours doing the same. 85% said that lifestyle changes should be legislated to ensure equal responsibility for everyone.
The antithesis of such behavior is aggressive pro-action. A prime example of this is the global environmental movement called The Extinction Rebellion. Active members of the group believe that politicians need to be awakened to the dire circumstances we face and must be driven to take attention-grabbing and newsworthy actions. Ironically, there may be an inverse relationship between one’s degree of pro-activity and their optimism about the future of society and the environment. This in itself can be a driver for heightened or reduced action.
The Red Brigade of the Invisible Circus joined forces with the aggressive climate activist group, The Extinction Rebellion. Their striking costumes during protests are meant to ‘symbolize the common blood we share with all species, that unifies us and makes us one.’
Image Credit: Unsplash
Meeting in the Middle
Most people exist in the middle. They have a certain degree of background tension and often express outward worry about where the world is headed and what can be done to slow the more dire consequences of our industrial society. They suspect that one cannot live with the “business as usual” philosophy. But what is the alternative?
What can the average individual do to deal with the mental health stresses resulting from the constant bombardment of bad news, conflicting opinions on the true state of things and the strident demands for this or that action or inaction?
In Part 2 of this series, we will discuss some of those facets. Stay tuned!
About The Author
Image Credit: Town of Essex
Jeff Watson is a Senior Policy Planner at the Town of Essex, Essex, Ontario, having previously worked as a Senior Planner for the City of Windsor. He is passionately involved in various community improvement programs and was recently honoured for his significant professional contributions to active transportation infrastructure with the Wheels of Change: Professional of the Year Award by the Share The Road Cycling Coalition. He is an avid kayaker and cyclist, who is deeply dedicated to promoting awareness about the impacts of climate change in the Windsor-Essex community and beyond.