Over the past few weeks, many of us have watched the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and the advance of Hurricane Milton unfold across our device screens with escalating horror. And far too many people are living through the traumatic impacts of these storms and other extreme weather events directly. Climate change makes extreme weather events more likely and more intense, and more and more of us are feeling the mental health impacts of climate change in multiple ways.
TELL CONGRESS: SUPPORT MENTAL WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITIES HIT BY CLIMATE DISASTER
Though the most important way to address the mental health impacts of climate change is to mitigate climate pollution, there’s also a critical need to better understand how to help people navigate climate distress in the here and now. We need more research on what helps people cope with difficult climate emotions.
Thankfully, this research is happening. This month, I spoke with Saahi Uppalapati, a PhD candidate at the Center for Climate Change Communication at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Her research focuses on the intersection of climate change, health, communication, and policy, and she’s leading a study on a text message-based intervention aimed at reducing climate distress.
Read on to learn more about this important research. THEN SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE HERE.
How did you come to be interested in climate change and mental health?
I became interested in the connection between climate change and mental health when I noticed how many people around me expressed overwhelming sadness, grief, and anxiety about the climate crisis. Unfortunately, there is a significant gap in research that explores the emotions that arise from witnessing climate impacts in our communities and around the globe, the pervasive inaction exhibited by leaders and institutions, and our deep concern for our world and future generations.
Why are you conducting this research?
These emotional responses are understandable, given the prevailing challenges we face today. While distress can pose threats to mental health, it is also associated with engaging in pro-environmental behavior and climate activism. When distressed, we often feel motivated to take actions that contribute positively and help mitigate those feelings. It has the potential to inspire bold climate action and strengthen community connections—especially when we learn to process and channel these feelings in healthy, productive ways.
However, without adequate support, this distress can escalate to a point where it severely impacts mental health and daily functioning. Recent research highlights the extent of this issue. For example:
- In a large survey of 10,000 young people across 10 countries, 45% reported that their thoughts and feelings about the climate crisis were disrupting their daily activities, while 75% expressed fear about the future.
- A study spanning 32 countries found that in 31 of them, climate anxiety was closely linked to lower mental well-being.
The weight of this emotional burden can be challenging to manage, hindering our ability to engage fully in climate action and drive essential systemic change. When we feel persistently overwhelmed, it becomes increasingly difficult to envision and strive for a more sustainable future.
By providing people with resources to address climate-related mental health challenges, we can enhance individual well-being and empower them to stay engaged in climate action. This approach has the potential to unlock a range of solutions that benefit people, communities, and our beloved planet.
What are you hoping to learn from this research?
Through this study, I hope to determine whether low-cost, accessible programs like text messaging can effectively improve well-being, reduce distress, enhance climate engagement, and mitigate information avoidance. If proven effective, this intervention could be scaled to reach many people.
An important aspect I learned in my research is the issue of inequity: those most vulnerable to the mental health impacts of climate change include youth, people of color, and those with low economic resources.
In today’s landscape, mental health services are already strained and under-resourced, leaving many without adequate support—especially those who might benefit from discussing climate change with counselors or therapists. If this intervention proves effective, it could serve as an accessible resource that complements existing mental health services.
Who is eligible to participate, and what can study volunteers expect?
If you are over 18 and have a phone that can receive text messages, you are eligible to participate. Throughout the study, you will receive 8 to 12 messages for one month, all centered on evidence-based strategies for fostering and strengthening mental health. This study is intentionally designed to be nonintrusive and to avoid any disruption to your daily routine. Your privacy is a top priority; no one will have access to your contact information except for me. I am bound by the Institutional Review Board at George Mason University to ensure the utmost care in safeguarding your data (IRB Study ID: STUDY00000034). Messages will be sent during nonwork hours, and you will have the option to opt out at any time.
How can people sign up to be part of this study?
To sign up, please click here. Sign-up is open until 5 PM ET on October 25. This link will direct you to a survey where I will collect your responses and phone numbers. Depending on the group you are assigned to, you can expect to start receiving messages in mid-October or mid-November.
At the end of the month, you will be asked to complete one or two short post-study surveys, which will help us assess the effectiveness of the intervention.
Is there anything else you want to share with our readers?
Thank you for considering taking part in this study. Your participation is invaluable in advancing our understanding of how to strengthen connections, foster support, and instill hope for those navigating the challenges of climate-related distress. Together, we can make a difference by building our resilience, promoting meaningful climate action, and enhancing our sense of community
SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY HERE.
Learn about Moms’ work on mental health.
TELL CONGRESS: SUPPORT MENTAL WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITIES HIT BY CLIMATE DISASTER