I originally studied a double degree in Law and Psychology at UNSW, fully expecting to become a lawyer. But during my psychology honours year, everything shifted. I realised how much I enjoyed research and that it could be a career, which appealed to me far more than clinical practice.

After completing my final year of study in the UK, I returned to Australia looking for research roles and joined the digital mental health team at the Black Dog Institute. Working there really cemented my passion for research. 

When the PhD opportunity at the Matilda Centre came up, my amazing boss at the Black Dog Institute encouraged me to apply, and I was lucky enough to be accepted. The rest is history!

Eco-anxiety refers to distress about the slow, long-term progression of climate change. It’s tied to uncertainty about the future and the sense that environmental conditions are steadily worsening over time. 

In contrast, poor mental health after a natural disaster stems from experiencing the acute disaster event, something sudden, severe, and often traumatic. Because natural disasters have a clear onset, we typically see a spike in post-traumatic stress and other mental-health responses immediately after the event, followed by identifiable recovery patterns for most people, with a smaller group experiencing longer-term impacts.

Eco-anxiety doesn’t follow this recovery pattern. Climate change has no defined beginning or end point, so the distress is ongoing and often linked to existential concerns about the future and the loss of certainty or security in the world people expected to live in. 

As these two forms of distress arise from different events, we need tailored approaches to support people experiencing climate-related anxiety versus those recovering from disaster-related trauma.

We’re seeing more people express concern about the changing climate largely because climate exposures are increasing. These exposures can be direct, such as living through extreme weather, or indirect, including constant coverage in news and social media as well as conversations with friends, family, and other social connections.

Because climate information is now so present in people’s daily environments, those who are already concerned can experience this as a persistent, ongoing worry. 

This doesn’t mean we should stop talking about climate change, but it does highlight the need for thoughtful communication so that essential information is shared without unnecessarily adding to people’s distress.