Fox recently interviewed Sarah Edwards, a woman dealing from Eco-Anxiety, which is

the growing angst experienced by those who can’t handle the thought that they — or anyone — are in some way contributing to global warming, species extinction and dwindling natural resources.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Dude, it’s Fox News. Right. So, go to Sarah’s own blog to see her take on the story and the condition. She asserts that eco-anxiety is not a mental illness, but at the same time,

many people are troubled on one or more levels about what is happening with the environment.

Sarah suggests what she calls Eco-Therapy. More than getting folks to recycle or change their light bulbs,

Ecopsychology, eco-therapy, and the natural systems thinking process (NSTP) are educational and psychotherapeutic approaches for learning to live more harmoniously with oneself and one’s environment, both natural and manmade. Though they involve interacting with nature, they can be practiced virtually anywhere and do not require individuals go to a distant, remote, or wild setting, unless they choose to.

Back to Fox News:

The American Psychological Association has no official position on the merits of what it calls an emerging field.

While the validity of Eco-Therapy is being discussed, I am interested in knowing whether or not gradually shifting to a greener lifestyle has been known to have a positive impact on one’s mental well-being. I think the answer is yes. Jennifer Forbes explores this question on her blog Mental Health Minutes and judging by her reader’s comments, several feel that participating in more eco-friendly activities helps to give them peace of mind and one commenter notes: for me, cycling is an act of exercise, environmentalism AND mental salvation.

At the same time, I know that many people are turned off by the green movement because they associate it with feelings of guilt (Oh great, yet another reason for me to feel bad when I buy a bottle of water) or inadequacy (you think you’re green, well wait to you see my new eco-contraption…) or even worse, feel as if they are on the receiving end of finger pointing and blame (SUV driver! De damned!)

I don’t think it has to be that way.

I hope that you see the “new” Daily Tomorrow as a resource for green information, particularly as it relates to your own physical and mental wellness. No judging or finger pointing here. Just the facts, ma’am. And a little bit of fun infused on the way.

Tell me what you think. Is going green good for your mental health, or making you crazy?

Post from: Blisstree

Is Going Green Good for Your Mental Health, or Just Making Your Crazy?