The (unequal)Effects of Eco-Anxiety on Indonesian Youth
Eco-anxiety is defined as “chronic fear of environmental doom” and it has never been more important than now. With climate change being prevalent now more than ever, it’s crucial to examine the effects eco-anxiety has on citizens in countries severely affected by environmental changes. One such country is Indonesia; Indonesia has faced devastating impacts due to climate change including an increase in hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. This creates an eminent sense of foreboding for the future and uncertainty surrounding the stability of jobs, home lives, and the physical land within Indonesia’s borders. These worries can be seriously detrimental, especially to Indonesia’s youth. Mental health is a challenge that many young adolescents struggle with, the World Health Organization reported 1 in 7 teens will experience a mental health disorder which showcases the prevalence of this topic. Because of climate change, the mental wellness of children and teens in Indonesia has worsened with eco-anxiety being the root cause.
A study of Tirto, Pekalongan, Indonesia found that “nearly 93% of children frequently exposed to such floods exhibited moderate anxiety, and approximately 29% displayed mild depression.” Tirto, which experiences frequent flooding, can be seen as an example of the impacts of climate change on rural communities who rely on farming and agriculture for livelihood and economic development. The risk of eco-anxiety heightens within these types of communities as there are often less technologically advanced systems in place to deal with floods, droughts, and storms. A byproduct of this is other mental health disorders, such as depression and PTSD. A study by Indikator and Yayasan Indonesia Cerah stated that 82% of Indonesian youth were concerned about climate change and the environmental crisis in addition to 35% feeling concerned about how these issues will affect their health.
It is necessary to understand what eco-anxiety is and its existence in the world today. Indonesia is one of many countries under the threat of the global environmental crisis; educating and informing about this topic will create a path to lessening eco-anxiety in the youth globally.
To learn more about this topic please read “Breaking the silence: unveiling the intersection of climate change and youth mental health in Indonesia” (Kaligis et, al., 2024). It has more comprehensive information and statistics!
https://mji.ui.ac.id/journal/index.php/mji/article/view/7147/2452