Climate Change and its Psychological Implications: Understanding Climate Distress and Adaptive Coping

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21296070

Sidak Kaur Dhillon (Department of Psychology, M.C.M D.A.V College for Women, Chandigarh)

The wide purview of the disastrous ramifications of climate change encompasses not only environmental destruction but also psychological consequences for humans. Terms like Climate Distress, Eco- anxiety and Solastalgia have been considered key concepts in climate psychology and are popular in climate change literature, proving the importance of considering climate change as a grave global issue whose effects can be felt in all aspects of our lives. The present review paper is based on a rigorous review of related literature with the aim of examining the concept of Climate Distress while also providing strong research- based evidence of its effects on the human population and in specific vulnerable groups as well. Furthermore, the last section focuses on suggesting useful coping strategies that can help people develop resilience and demonstrate good mental health in the face of climate-related misery. Even though there is substantial evidence of the devastating psychological repercussions of climate change, both direct and indirect, there is a need for more research in this area that can not only validate previous findings but also report novel associations that can aid in decisive policy making and public health interventions.