MEDIA RELEASE

23 November 2021

A new resource launched today at the Ecological Society of Australia annual conference aims to help ecologists manage rising pressures on their mental health.

“The unprecedented scale of threats currently facing our ecological systems is placing enormous stress on those in associated sectors,” said President of the Ecological Society of Australia, Dr Bek Christensen.

“Many are experiencing constant and prolonged exposure to significant, negative and widespread environmental issues,” she said.

Ecologists working in the higher education sector have been particularly affected, with thousands of job losses since early 2020 and ongoing casualisation of the workforce.

In some cases, this stress is exacerbated by a lack of government action to address major threats such as biodiversity loss and climate change, and reports of significant and widespread pressure to suppress scientific findings.

“The restrictions needed to control the Covid-19 pandemic have also prevented or delayed field work, post-bushfire monitoring and rehabilitation efforts,” Dr Christensen said.

“These factors mean that many ecologists in Australia are at risk of feeling overwhelmed and burnt out,” she said.

More than 700 ecologists are gathering online this week for the Ecological Society of Australia annual conference. In her keynote presentation this morning, Associate Professor Navjot Bhullar from the School of Psychology at the University of New England outlined thegative emotions and mental health impacts attributable to climate change.

“Negative mental health impacts of climate anxiety pose a serious public health issue,” she said.

“Negative emotions attributable to climate change are related to experiences of psychological distress and also associated with sleep problems.”

In a survey of 1100 Australian adults in early 2021, Associate Professor Bhullar found that over 60% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they feel distressed at the possibility that climate change might affect them or their family and friends in the future. Similar numbers of respondents also felt that impacts of climate change will be “bad” to “extremely bad” for Australia.

Similar sentiments, though with greater severity, were echoed in a preliminary survey conducted recently with Ecological Society of Australia members. Half of the respondents rated their mental health and wellbeing as “fair” or “poor”. This survey also indicated that climate anxiety acts a unique factor impacting on the negative mental health outcomes among this cohort, in addition to factors such as biodiversity and habitat loss, the extinction crisis, lack of job security and secure career pathways, and pandemic-related restrictions.

“These findings show that ecologists and conservation scientists and practitioners are experiencing a lot of psychological distress exacerbated by climate anxiety,” said Associate Professor Bhullar.

“This needs to be addressed for a healthier workforce.”

In response, the Ecological Society of Australia and the Australian Psychological Society have developed a document to help ecologists identify signs of stress, foster strategies to manage this stress and know where to seek help if needed.

Among the recommended strategies are:

• Communicating Effectively

Connecting with trusted family, friends and colleagues to discuss thoughts and concerns

Using appropriate channels to advocate for change, while being mindful of what can and cannot be controlled.

• Building resilience

Maintaining social connections (such as joining a climate network or community group) to work towards a common objective with other likeminded individuals

Sharing tips and coping strategies with colleagues

• Thinking flexibly

Challenging negative thoughts to help develop more positive and constructive thinking patterns (for example, believe that change is possible).

Embedding mindfulness into everyday practice

• Self-care

Maintaining healthy day-to-day routines (e.g., restorative sleep, regular exercise, nutritious diet).

Seeking out sources of positive news and stories

• Seeking additional medical support when needed

Additional resources for ecologists can be found at:

• The Australian Psychological Society (https://psychology.org.au/for-the-public/psychology-topics/climate-change-psychology)
• The British Ecological Society (https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/learning-and-resources/wellbeing/wellbeing-events-and-resources/)
• Good News Network – Conservation Page (https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/tag/conservation/)
• The American Psychological Association (https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/03/mental-health-climate.pdf)
• American Psychiatric Association sessions on mental health impacts on “Climate first responders” (https://www.psychiatry.org)
• In addition Beyond Blue (https://www.beyondblue.org.au), Black Dog Institute (https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au), Head to Health (https://www.headtohealth.gov.au), Lifeline Australia (https://www.lifeline.org.au) and Smiling Mind (https://www.smilingmind.com.au) have resources and further mental health support information.

The full document can be found on the ESA website (www.ecolsoc.org.au/resources/improving-mental-health-and-wellbeing/)

Dr Christensen and Associate Professor Bhullar are available for interview via media contact: 

Grace Heathcote (Science Communications Coordinator, Ecological Society of Australia)

E:

M: 0404 542 523

www.ecolsoc.org.au // www.esa2021.org.au