Air pollution, melting glaciers, collapse, multiplication of heat waves: after reading this information, part of the population will move on. But for the eco-anxious, they will turn into an obsession. Pierre Chevelle was one of them. After reading transition manual of Rob Hopkins, he becomes aware of the possibility of a collapse of our world. Very quickly, he sinks into a deep malaise.
Eco-anxiety is not a disease but “a psychological state of mental and emotional distress in the face of the threats of climate change and global environmental problems” according to psychologist and psychotherapist Pierre-Eric Sutter. This disorder can be more or less strong and its intensity can be measured using a scale created by Hélène Jalin. Five classes of eco-anxiety exist and only the last falls under pathology. “I have my patients complete this questionnaire and when they are in class 5, I refer them to a doctor or psychiatrist,” explains psychotherapist Charline Schmerber. For Pierre-Eric Sutter, if the discomfort lasts more than three to six months, it is necessary to consult because it can turn into generalized anxiety disorder or reactive depression. To avoid this, specialists and people who have suffered from it have been asked how to cure their eco-anxiety. And the solutions exist!
Talk about it with others
“The risk of eco-anxiety is isolation,” explains Pierre-Eric Sutter straight away. So the first thing to do is talk about it. “I have the impression of having come out to my relatives by telling them that I was going through a big crisis of eco-anxiety,” says Pierre Chevelle. But for that, it is still necessary to have relatives receptive and aware of climate issues. The young man recognizes it, he had this chance. By broaching the subject with his family, he was able to deconstruct his anxieties. His sister, for example, suggested that they all live together in the countryside if ever a collapse occurred. Gradually, the young man is reassured.
But this speaking out should not turn into an obligation to raise awareness. “My patients feel guilty if they fail to educate those around them. But they are not responsible for this awareness, ”analyzes Charline Schmerber. The dialogue should not turn into an exercise in guilt either. Sending an article to a friend who travels to show him that it’s wrong to fly, for example, is not the best way to raise awareness, according to the psychotherapist. For her, making others want to take them on board is more judicious. “If one day there is a collapse, it is more important to maintain the links rather than trying to convince people who already know that the world is not well. »
Take collective action
This world that is not going well frightens the eco-anxious and paralyzes them. And that is explained. “Stress is a mechanism that makes it possible to deal with dangers or issues perceived as such”, specifies Pierre-Eric Sutter. “If we cross the road and a bus nearly runs over us, stress makes us step aside because the body senses the danger and reacts immediately. But in the face of climate issues, there is no immediate reaction possible. This fear which immobilizes must therefore be transformed into fear which mobilizes. The means: give meaning to one’s commitment by taking action.
“You have to distinguish between what you can act on and what you cannot act on,” explains Pierre Chevelle. Militating in an association for the defense of the environment, running for municipal elections, becoming a vegetarian or redirecting your studies are all beneficial actions. But we must choose them according to our personality and our desires. “What will make sense to you is going to be different from what will make sense to me,” explains the psychotherapist. By participating in actions of civil disobedience, Camille Charbon had the feeling of “regaining life force”.
Go gradually
Eco-anxiety is prospective distress. People who suffer from it have their eyes fixed on the future and feel a great sense of urgency. To help them, Charline Schmerber makes them work on the present. “I tell my patients that, paradoxically, they will have to take the time. We don’t make good decisions in a hurry. »
This is the advice that Camille Charbon followed. The young woman first left her job as an executive in the food industry to give conferences and advice on ecological transition to companies. It was only later, after working on farms during her holidays, that she decided to move to the countryside. “I realized that I was not connected enough to the living. »
Reconnect with nature
“You have to completely reconsider your life choices when you have ecological values”, confirms Pierre-Eric Sutter. For two months, Camille has been working on a farm located in Mayenne. She lives there in a community and does permaculture. “The framework is collective because the issues are collective. “It is scientifically proven that sylvotherapy has an impact on health,” says the psychologist. Hiking, walking in the forest, gardening allows you to feel better and to get out of a logic of exploitation of nature.
“I don’t think that eco-anxiety is something to eradicate”, nuance Charline Schmerber. “I teach my patients to tame their eco-anxiety and live with a tolerable level that drives action. When the latest IPCC report came out, Camille felt depressed again. “Sometimes I go back to evenings where I am in total anxiety. But she is now convinced that she is more part of the solution than the problem.
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