Eco-anxiety, short for ecological anxiety and also called eco-distress or climate anxiety, is a challenging emotional response to climate change and other environmental issues. The term was invented in 1997 by Veronique Lepaige, a French public health researcher, and study of it has been extensive since 2007. It is not a medical diagnosis and is regarded as a rational response to the reality of climate change, though severe cases can affect mental health if left without relief. It is an unpleasant emotion that can also motivate useful behaviour such as gathering information, but it can show up as conflict avoidance or feel paralyzing, and some people report choosing not to have children because of it. The American Psychological Association addressed the mental health impact of climate change in a 2018 report, and research cited in the article finds that engaging with these emotions can build resilience and collective action.
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