Recent years have seen a growing concern over environmental issues, which has in turn lead to a rise in ecoanxiety. Ecoanxiety is “essentially anxiety that is focused on the potential damage we are having on our planet as a result of not being ecologically friendly and the potential consequences of this,” Anxiety UK’s Nicky Lidbetter explained to Country Living in a feature we wrote on the topic. “Signs of ecoanxiety can be very similar to symptoms of other anxiety conditions, including excessive worrying, a racing heartbeat, trouble sleeping and overthinking/catastrophising,” Nicky continued. Turning our anxiety about the environment into positive action is one of the ways we could begin to feel better. From cutting back on single-use plastics to shopping with a purpose and even cleverly decluttering the home, there are many whip-smart ways we can use the resources we have at our fingertips to help the planet. Tara Button, author of A Life Less Throwaway and founder of BuyMeOnce, explains to Country Living how decluttering and being more sustainable in the home can help with ecoanxiety. “It’s been shown, especially in women, that when you see clutter, your stress hormone is raised. It’s not in your head — it’s completely scientifically proven. Keep to a level of items in your home that you’re happy with. When things are grouped together or can be easily found, that’s when the stress levels come down,” Tara Button tells Country Living. To view the full article visit Country Living.
