Norfolk Mind warns climate anxiety is becoming more common
It's a feeling of 'real fear and concern about the planetary crisis that we're in'
As the Norfolk village of Hemsby continues to struggle with coastal erosion - a local charity tells us they're helping more and more people with climate anxiety.
Ruth Taylor's from Norfolk and Waveney Mind and explains what it actually is: "You could describe it as existential doom. A feeling of real fear and concern about the planetary crisis that we're in with climate change and biodiversity loss."
After a summer of wildfires across Europe, and now into Hawaii, Ruth tells us climate anxiety is becoming much more common: "Before it was a future issue that felt like it was far away on the horizon.
"Now, it's here and we're not prepared emotionally to deal with it...
"Since Greta Thunberg started speaking out and the government declared a climate emergency, we've had all these people coming forward with lots of feelings about what's happening, and nowhere to take them."
She continued, saying it's not just young people who are concerned, or suffering from climate anxiety: "It's an intergenerational issue.
"We've had people of all ages coming to our services. We also get lots of mums to be coming to us, concerned about whether or not they should have children.
"Climate change raises so many issues a lot of people don't feel equipped to deal with...
"It's the huge global issue, so it's not surprising we're feeling like this."
How to cope
As climate anxiety becomes more common, Ruth tells us there are things we can do to help manage our concerns.
She's a big believer in 'active hope': "We might feel hopeless, but actually, hope is something we do, rather than just feel.
"That means we can practice feeling hopeful - perhaps by getting together with likeminded people and we get involved in conservation...
"It's really important to feel we can channel anxiety into agency, even if it's just something small, like growing seeds on our windowsill or learning about nature around us....
"We need each other, that's what will get us through this.
"Try and get together will people, find your tribe, share your feelings, take action locally."
Ruth also recommended limiting time on social media: "Switch off your phone. There are only so many pictures of drowning polar bears and distressing situations that will actually help us... sometimes we need a break...
"So look at the climate problem but try and avoid staring. Doom scrolling rarely helps."