In 2014, the Northwest Territories saw its worst wildfire season since the 1990s, with three million hectares of land burned in one summer.

While the dry conditions that caused the fires have been linked to climate change, their psychological impacts on residents of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 are just starting to be understood.

Through her research, Dr. Courtney Howard has been shedding light on how people are dealing with SA国际影视传媒渆co-anxiety.SA国际影视传媒�

A March 2017 co-produced by the American Psychological Association defines eco-anxiety as  SA国际影视传媒渁 chronic fear of environmental doom.SA国际影视传媒�

Howard is an emergency room physician in Yellowknife and one of the authors of the Lancet Countdown 2018 Report  for Canadian policymakers, which was released last year. The Lancet is one of the most well-respected medical journals in the world.

The report used done in Canada SA国际影视传媒� including interviews with Northerners affected by the 2014 wildfires SA国际影视传媒� to explore the mental health effects of climate change.

SA国际影视传媒淎s Yellowknifers who were here during that summer will remember, we had horrible air quality many days between mid-June and the end of August,SA国际影视传媒� said Howard.

It was one of the most severe episodes of poor air quality in the city's history, she said.

In a two-pronged study, Howard and other researchers looked at the number of emergency department and clinic visits for respiratory and cardiovascular disease, as well outpatient asthma prescriptions.

SA国际影视传媒淏asically we had about twice as much asthma as we usually do that summer,SA国际影视传媒� said Howard.

They also spoke to residents about how the fire was affecting them emotionally.

SA国际影视传媒淲e interviewed about 30 community members from Ndilo, Dettah, Yellowknife and Kakisa in partnership with the Yellowknives Dene and Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation,SA国际影视传媒� said Howard.

Residents detailed the effects the fires had on their lives including reduced physical activity, cabin fever, sadness, loneliness and a feeling of disconnection from the land.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd also this feeling of worry about what this summer meant in the broader context of climate change,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

In 2018, Howard, who is the NWT representative for the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) board of directors, published the findings in the medical journal the Lancet as part of a policy brief for the federal government.

Howard thought people would be interested in the recommendation of a carbon tax as the most effective treatment for the health emergency of climate change.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut what ended up happening was everybody wanted to talk about eco-anxiety,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Howard has been doing presentations about her research in venues across the country for about eight years. Many of her audience members have shared their own ecological worries.

People in Quebec spoke about last summer's heat wave that led to 90 deaths, people in the prairies talked about drought and people in the West were talking about wildfires, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 often look out into the audience now and see one or two, usually young people, with tears in their eyes,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 often have people come up to me at the end of my lectures and say, 'ISA国际影视传媒檓 a young person and ISA国际影视传媒檓 not sure whether I should have kids,' or 'ISA国际影视传媒檓 a young mum and I worry constantly about my children's future.'SA国际影视传媒�

While itSA国际影视传媒檚 unclear how many people are suffering from eco-anxiety, a broad public conversation about the phenomenon is a step in the right direction, said Howard.

SA国际影视传媒淟ike so many aspects of mental health, it just hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 had the attention that would have been ideal,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

People suffering serious anxiety disorders should consult a health care provider, said Howard, but for people experiencing a less severe malaise, seeking out community can be helpful.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think such a transformative step for so many people is to just leave the bubble of their internet,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat blue hole that is so easy to disappear down at midnight that leads to ever-worsening statistics ... and instead take a step out of their house and go connect in person with friends and with people in their community.SA国际影视传媒�

In times like these itSA国际影视传媒檚 even more important to be kind to yourself, family and neighbours, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 a time where if compassion reigns, we will rise as a society to where we need to be,SA国际影视传媒� said Howard.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd if instead anger and irritation and divisiveness win the day, weSA国际影视传媒檙e not going to have the outcome we want. Let that kindness and compassion start with these conversations, and I think that will carry through to the societal response that we need.SA国际影视传媒�

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