Climate Anxiety Is Real. Community Is the Answer.

Pictured: A Responder checks in on a resident in the aftermath of devastating floods in Bedford, September 2024. Photo by Lewis Inman.

In a world where floods and wildfires are no longer rare but increasingly common, what does it mean to live under the constant threat of climate disaster? What happens when help is delayed, or when systems designed for a different era begin to crack under the pressure of a changing planet?

At REACT, we are often the first to arrive in communities facing disaster. Our Responders lay sandbags, support emergency evacuations, and offer critical assistance when people need it most. But behind each deployment lies a deeper, less visible crisis: the toll on mental health.

Climate anxiety is not hypothetical. It is lived fear:

• The anxiety that your home will flood again.
• The fear that your children aren’t safe.
• The dread that help may not arrive in time.
• The overwhelming sense of impending loss.

These are not abstract concerns. They are the emotional reality for people facing climate emergencies, and for those who respond to them.

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we are opening up a conversation about climate anxiety. We want to explore its impact not just on individuals, but on entire communities, and on the volunteers and professionals who work on the frontlines.

Resilience isn’t just about physical infrastructure. It’s about emotional endurance, recovery, and hope. Mental health support must be an integral part of climate preparedness.

Throughout the week, we will share stories on our social channels, from our Responders and the people they serve. Stories of exhaustion and adrenaline, of fear and resilience, of devastation and the power of community.

We invite you to be part of this conversation. Whether you are a Responder, a parent, an emergency planner, or someone simply watching the weather change, your experience matters.

Join us in talking about climate anxiety. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, facebook and Tiktok.