What is eco-paralysis? Climate anxiety is paralyzing youth mental health
As severe heatwaves, destructive wildfires, and unexpected floods reshape the physical landscape, the climate crisis is quietly triggering a profound psychological emergency. For an increasing number of people—particularly the younger generation—overwhelming fear regarding environmental destruction is moving past standard anxiety and hardening into a dangerous mental state known as "eco-paralysis".
Psychiatrist Nevzat Tarhan, the founding rector of Uskudar University, warns that while feeling anxious about an active threat is a normal human response, getting stuck in a state of helplessness is a deeply damaging psychiatric reaction. Eco-paralysis manifests as an emotional shutdown. Those affected experience anhedonic depression, a challenging condition marked by low energy, chronic apathy, social withdrawal, extreme guilt, and a total loss of interest in life, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.
Young people and adolescents are uniquely vulnerable to this psychological freeze. As they watch real-world climate disasters unfold while witnessing an apparent indifference from adults and global decision-makers, their anxiety spirals into severe pessimism.
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This vulnerability is heavily amplified by digital spaces. Continuous exposure to disaster imagery on social media can feed into what psychologists call "bad world syndrome"—the deeply ingrained belief that the planet is hopelessly doomed. Without proper family guidance, this endless loop of negative news leads to emotional numbness and severe attention problems.
To combat this paralysis, Tarhan advises against both denying the crisis and exaggerating it into an all-consuming identity. The most effective weapon against eco-paralysis is action. By shifting focus away from global issues outside of personal control and channeling energy into local environmental initiatives and community groups, individuals can break out of the isolation cycle. Shared, collective action reminds the brain that it is not alone, restoring the very sense of hope required to face the future.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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