Climate Change and Mental Health: Finding Ways to Cope 

Jun 30, 2026

As the summer heats up, so, too, may your distress about the climate. With the summer season comes wildfires, smoke-filled air, floods and extreme heat. For many people, concerns about climate are contributing to feelings of worry, stress, grief, and anxiety. These are not abstract concerns: we can see, breathe and feel them in the present.  

Climate distress in Canada 

It is not surprising that climate distress – which is also sometimes called climate anxiety or eco-anxiety – is on the rise. Last year, Canada weathered the second-worst wildfire year on record, forcing 75,000 people out of their homes. We faced deepening drought that fueled wildfires, severe flooding in several regions, and heatwaves that pushed temperatures as high as 40°C in some parts of the country.  Of course, the impacts of climate change do not affect us equally. Black, newcomer, and low-income people are more vulnerable to climate health risks, as are Indigenous communities, which due to colonialism, live with many environmental hazards. For instance, last year, when wildfires raged across the country, three out of five people evacuated from their homes were from First Nations communities.  

How is climate distress felt? 

The rates of distress are rising across Canada as climate change increases. In 2023, Statistics Canada reported that half of Canadians said they were somewhat (30%) or extremely/very concerned (20%) about the risk of weather-related emergencies or natural disasters. It is estimated that around 2.4% of Canadians have symptoms of climate anxiety that seriously affect their daily life. 

Distress about the climate can be experienced as: 

• Feelings of sadness, anger, fear, powerlessness, despair, helplessness and guilt 
• Obsessive thoughts, dread, and believing it’s already too late.  
• Symptoms of anxiety, like panic attacks and sleeplessness, and depression 
• A loss of sense of identity, sense of place, community, or agency, or one’s future being stolen.  
• Grief from losing family, friends, or loved ones from a climate-related catastrophe or environmental hazards. 
• Trauma across generations. 

How to deal with your distress about the climate 

Worry about climate change is very real. But we are far from powerless.  

If you are experiencing worry, here is some action you can take.  

1. Try to manage your worry:  
   • Limit your exposure to upsetting climate news. Choose a few trusted sources and set limits on checking them.  
   • Name, but don’t judge any difficult emotions you are feeling. Whether you have anxious feelings, frustration, anger or even guilt, naming what you feel can make it easier to cope. 
   • Focus on what you can control yourself. Get informed. Reduce your own carbon footprint. Spread the word. 
   • Learn from traditional teachings, get involved in ceremony and cultural practices, and spend time with Elders and knowledge keepers. 

2. Help a child who is worried: 
   • Share clear information without overwhelming them with too many details. Keep your worry in check. 
   • Reassure them that many people – including scientists, communities, governments, and other young people – are working on solutions.  
   • Help them find concrete, hopeful actions, such as caring for plants, spending time in nature, or joining a community project.  
   • Do something together, like planting a garden, preparing for extreme weather, or volunteering locally, can help children feel more grounded and less helpless.  
   • Let them know they can come back with questions or worries anytime. 

3. Turn climate worry into climate action: 
   • Seek out like-minded people for connection. Don’t be alone with your distress.  
   • Get active: create a community action plan to have a local impact.  
   • Share stories, ideas and initiatives that have helped curb climate change and its effects. This can fuel both hope and action. 
   • Contact decision-makers and encourage them to act. 
   • Explore Indigenous climate action in Canada, including Gatherings, Trainings, and Indigenous Sovereignty.   

4. Spend time outside and on the land: 
   • While nature is not equally safe, accessible or comforting for everyone, research suggests that connecting with nature can support our mental health by calming our nervous system, bringing us to the present moment, and encouraging movement and connection. 
   • In many Indigenous communities, land-based healing programs are a source of well-being, helping with feeling grounded, relieving stress, and lifting  your spirits.   
   • Learn about your local ecological history to remind yourself that the place you live has a longer story than the current crisis. 

5. If you need help, get support 

If feelings of worry, depression or a sense of hopelessness are making it hard for you to function, consider getting extra mental health supports.  Contact your health care provider or mental health care provider. 

• Contact your local CMHA.  
• If you are in crisis, call or text 9-8-8 anytime for support in English or French. 9-8-8 is anyone who is thinking about suicide, or who is worried about someone they know. For more information, visit https://988.ca.   
• Indigenous people across Canada can contact the Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855-242-3310 anytime or use the online chat service at hopeforwellness.ca. 

Just as climate change is real, so is our distress about it. But so too is the action we can take to care for ourselves, support one another, and protect the people and places we call home.