Climate Education
Nurturing Young Minds: Teaching Kids to Care for Their Mental Health
October 10, 2025
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life in order to learn, grow, and contribute to their community. Mental health is an integral part of our motivation and resiliency, and psychological struggles can wreak havoc on our bodies and minds.
Mental disorders account for 15% of the global burden of disease among adolescents. Globally, 1 in 7 youth experience a mental health disorder each year. The average delay between mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years, which means that young people can be trapped in a state of poor mental health most of their childhood and adolescence.
Today is World Mental Health Day, and we’d like to take this opportunity to reflect on how climate change can negatively impact our mental health.
The Vulnerability of Youth To Climate Change
Youth are the most vulnerable group experiencing poor mental health due to the extremes of climate change. A global study from 2021 found that 45% of students, 16 to 25 years, feel the effects of climate anxiety daily.
Climate anxiety is a natural and adaptive response to the all too real threats of our climate crisis, and causes serious issues in children such as sleep troubles, PTSD, disrupted cognitive development, and even major depressive disorder. Youth can experience indirect impacts from climate change too such as disrupted schooling, family and financial strains, displacement, and food insecurity.
Cognitive Development = Concrete Thinking
Children aged 6 to 12 years are in the stage of cognitive development characterized by concrete thinking, where they learn to understand and reason about real objects and events. They are concerned with ideas of justice and fairness and orienting themselves within their own community, the wider world. Furthermore, they are able to understand empathy and consider other people’s needs. This stage of cognitive development is critical for growth and overall health.
But children’s brain health is impacted by climate change because when they are exposed to climate disasters, like wildfires and floods, they are susceptible to psychological distress which then can impedes brain development.
Extreme weather events have been shown to significantly increase the risk of developing serious mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic stress. Plus, higher temperatures and pollution have been linked to an increase in ER visits for mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts.
That is why increasing our awareness and understanding of climate mental health issues will reduce mental health issues that are linked to climate change. A Yale School of Public Health study found that young adults who participate in collective climate action experience less depression and hopelessness linked to climate anxiety. Active involvement provides a buffer against the mental health toll of climate worries by fostering purpose and community.
Research also shows that feeling empowered through climate action boosts self-efficacy and reduces feelings of helplessness, key drivers of anxiety related to climate change. Harvard Medicine Magazine notes that many people deeply worried about climate change find that taking action—whether small steps or advocacy—helps balance their anxiety and supports daily functioning.
The Power of Emotions
Mental health is more than just dealing with emotions; it encompasses both psychological and social-well being. When we use appropriate techniques that address stressors on mental health, we can create a positive feedback loop that provides youth with tools for dealing with everyday life, no matter how complex it can get.
Emotional regulation is a crucial aspect of mental health, and can be understood through three key factors: Adaptive Engagement, Disengagement, and Aversive Cognitive Perseveration.
Our ability to recognize emotions and choose how we respond to them is essential for mental health. Changing a reaction or avoiding inaction starts with stepping back from the initial emotional response and intentionally selecting a healthier one. This skill requires ongoing practice and conscious effort to understand how emotions influence thoughts and behavior.
Cognitive reappraisal is the skill of reinterpreting a situation to change its emotional impact. For example, instead of feeling frustrated about heat advisories keeping children indoors, one can focus on creating fun indoor activities, shifting attention from the problem to positive solutions.
Mental Health, Nutrition, & Food Insecurity
Our mind and body are intricately connected. Healthy eating, exercise, and adequate sleep have all been shown to protect against mental health disorders and improve mood. Droughts, floods, and higher temperatures impact food production and therefore exacerbate food insecurity.
According to UNICEF, more than one in four children globally experience food poverty. Food insecurity acts as a chronic stressor, increasing inflammation in the body, which can also contribute to mental health problems. Children suffering malnutrition due to the climate crisis face heightened vulnerability to future climate-related events, creating a harmful cycle that deepens lasting disparities.
Supporting Mental Wellness
To effectively tackle mental health issues, we must ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met. When people feel safe, have enough to eat, and face less stress, their mind and body can thrive..
Some of the biggest barriers to mental health services are access to mental health professionals and funding. Since children spend much of their time in schools, educational institutions should be key to providing mental health support. In 2019, 15.4% of adolescents aged 12-17 reported receiving mental health services at school. However with 52% of public schools in the U.S already struggling to provide basic mental health services for students and 58% reporting an increase in the number of students seeking school-based post post-COVID, funding remains a major issue. If we want to address mental health in our youth, then we must invest in their schools.
Human Rights Issue
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 1 in every 7 people, over 1 billion people, around the world are living with a mental disorder. Mental health spans socio economic and geographical barriers, it affects all. However we know access to care is one of the biggest hurdles in tackling this issue.
Mental health is a fundamental human rights issue and a vital part of global development discussions. A WHO report highlights the deep connections between mental health and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), showing how progress on the SDGs supports tackling mental health challenges worldwide. For true social, economic, and political prosperity, widespread investment in promoting positive mental health and ensuring care for those struggling is essential.
Climate education is one way we can prepare young people with the tools and strategies for coping with climate mental wellbeing. Education can build connections to solutions that positively impact the mind and body against climate change impacts. But how can we, as individuals, help to ensure that everyone gets access to climate education? For one thing, we can make sure that we are all informed about what climate education entails. More actively, sign EARTHDAY.ORG’s petition for all countries to commit to climate education.
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