Introduction
Distancing means putting a little emotional or mental space between ourselves and the climate crisis. It might seem like an odd idea given the urgency and the severity of the crisis, but, according to Dr Panu Pihkala, it’s an essential part of healthy coping and adjusting.1Wray, Britt. “How to Take Breaks from the Climate Crisis without Living in Denial.” Substack newsletter. Gen Dread (blog), January 25, 2023. https://gendread.substack.com/p/how-to-take-breaks-from-the-climate. Pihkala, Panu. “The Process of Eco-Anxiety and Ecological Grief: A Narrative Review and a New Proposal.” Sustainability 14, no. 24 (January 2022): 16628. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416628.
We can create distance in different ways. One is to deny the reality of the climate crisis. This might be downplaying the urgency or severity rather than outright climate denial. Another way of creating distance is to deny any personal responsibility either for creating the crisis or for acting to resolve it. This is to accept that the crisis is happening but to say there is nothing we can do, or we’re not responsible. Forms of denial and avoidance can provide relief from troubling emotions like guilt, grief or powerlessness. But over the long term, they get in the way of learning to cope and adapt to the reality we are living in.
Another strategy for getting some distance is to make time for self-care. This means ensuring we are getting rest, fun and relaxation in our lives as well as meeting our needs for a healthy body, satisfying work and good relationships.
If we don’t make space for these things in our lives we risk experiencing burnout2Cass Hebron describes her experience of burn out in this article: Dread, Gen, and Cass Hebron. “When the Nonstop Urgency of Climate Work Collides with Your Body Begging for Rest.” Substack newsletter. Gen Dread (blog), March 14, 2024. https://gendread.substack.com/p/when-the-nonstop-urgency-of-climate.. Chronic anxiety and stress can take a toll on our physical and mental health.
But despite recognising the importance of rest, it isn’t easy to set aside our worries about the climate crisis. One reason for this, for me anyway, is the sense of urgency. The climate crisis is speeding up in front of my eyes. Another reason is that my surroundings are full of triggers that remind me of the mess we’re in and the lack of action from those with the power to do something. It also feels a bit self-indulgent sometimes to prioritise my self-care when others are already suffering climate impacts, war and other circumstances.
So, our question is this, how do we create that sense of space and distance in a world that is tangibly warming, still pushing in the wrong direction and where all aspects of our everyday life are tangled up in the causes of climate change?
Conversation starters
- Where are you starting from? Think about your journey, can you remember times when you were distancing yourself from the crisis either deliberately or without thinking? Would you describe the experiences as avoidance, denial, self-care or in another way?
- Do you find (or have you found) that thinking about the climate crisis intrudes on everyday activities and things that are important to you?
Practices that might help
Worry time is a practice to keep worries contained. You could try a short version together and talk about its usefulness.
Reading
Climate Change and Happiness. “Season 3, Episode 18: Finding Your Place and Digging In.” Accessed May 31, 2024. https://climatechangeandhappiness.com/episodes/season-3-episode-18-finding-your-place-and-digging-in.
Dread, Gen. “Dear Climate Therapist: I’m Dreading Another ‘Horror Summer.’” Substack newsletter. Gen Dread (blog), May 30, 2024. https://gendread.substack.com/p/dear-climate-therapist-im-dreading.
Dread, Gen, and Cass Hebron. “When the Nonstop Urgency of Climate Work Collides with Your Body Begging for Rest.” Substack newsletter. Gen Dread (blog), March 14, 2024. https://gendread.substack.com/p/when-the-nonstop-urgency-of-climate.
Wray, Britt. “How to Take Breaks from the Climate Crisis without Living in Denial.” Substack newsletter. Gen Dread (blog), January 25, 2023. https://gendread.substack.com/p/how-to-take-breaks-from-the-climate.