The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast Understanding Climate Anxiety in Youth
Oct 6, 2025
Many teens struggle with sleep due to anxiety about the environment. The hosts discuss the differences between climate anxiety and environmental grief, emphasizing that these feelings are valid. They highlight the impact of family silence on youth, making them feel isolated in their concerns. Community actions, like advocacy and tree planting, are recommended to empower teens. Age-appropriate strategies are suggested for addressing these anxieties, all while encouraging resilience and refraining from pathologizing strong emotional responses.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Climate Anxiety As Grief
- Climate anxiety in youth often reflects grief about real environmental loss rather than distorted thinking.
- Recognize it as a grounded emotional response, not automatically a mental disorder.
Prevalence And Local Validation
- Large majorities of teens worry about climate change and a meaningful minority lose sleep over it.
- Clinicians see these effects locally in weather, fires, and air quality that validate youths' fears.
Channel Anxiety Into Action
- Promote community-based actions like tree planting or insulating buildings to restore agency.
- Encourage developmentally appropriate activities, from hands-on projects to political advocacy.
