North India Statesman
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News India Live, Digital Desk: Have you ever noticed how much anger and irritability have increased among people in the last few years? We often hold our hectic lifestyle, office pressure or inflation responsible for this. But wait, new research is indicating something else.
Maybe this is the reason for your restlessness, sadness and unnecessary fear. Climate Change yes. Yes, the changing climate is not only melting the snow of the mountains, but is also melting the chemicals in our brain.
Let us understand this serious issue in very simple language, because this is the story of all of us.
What is Eco-Anxiety?
When you see on the news that forests are burning somewhere, floods are occurring somewhere, or it has become difficult to breathe in your own city, do you feel a strange panic? Do you think “What will happen to our children?”
in psychology it is ‘Eco-Anxiety’ Or called climate concern. This is not a disease, rather it is proof that you are a sensitive human being who is able to feel the deteriorating condition of your earth. But now this anxiety has started taking the form of depression.
Direct connection of heat and anger
New research shows that as the temperature increases, the human brain reduces its functioning and ‘aggression’ increases. You yourself must have felt that during extremely hot days we get irritated by every thing. People fight more in traffic. This is not a mere coincidence. Excessive heat increases the level of ‘stress hormone’ (Cortisol) in our body, due to which we are unable to remain relaxed.
Feeling Helpless
The worst effect of climate change is that it makes humans feel helpless. When we see unseasonal rains ruining farmers’ crops or people falling ill due to air pollution, we feel “we can’t do anything.” This helplessness gradually eats away at our mental peace like termites. This is also called ‘Solastalgia’ – that is, feeling of being a stranger in your own home because your environment has changed.
effect on sleep
Due to high temperature at night, deep sleep is not possible. And when sleep is not complete, mental health is sure to deteriorate the next day. This is a maze in which we are getting trapped.
So what to do now?
Getting worried is not the solution. First, acknowledge that this is a real problem.
- Connect with Nature: Whenever you get time, go near the trees. Research says that spending just 20 minutes in greenery calms the mind.
- Detox of news: Don’t watch disaster news 24 hours a day.
- Small Steps: We cannot solve big problems alone, but small steps (like saving water, reducing waste) give us the mental satisfaction that we are part of the ‘solution’ and not the problem.
Remember, the weather is not in our hands, but our ‘mind’ is in our hands. Don’t let it become a victim of the deteriorating environment. Be aware and speak up, because this is not just your fight, it is all of us.
