Nicole Stelter
Dr. Nicole Stelter, Blue Shield of California’s Behavioral Health Director, was recently featured on CapRadio in Sacramento, commenting on climate change, its impact on children, and the phenomenon known as “environmental anxiety.”
The story was first conceptualized by reporter Srishti Prabha during a series of extreme heatwaves in California last year, after several inches of rain fell across much of California and several feet of snow in the Sierra. , has become more important in the last few weeks.
Dr. Stelter was asked to speak on some of the findings from last year’s Blue Shield of California NextGen Climate Survey, specifically the impact of climate change events on the mental health of young people.
Here is an excerpt of the story:
Dr. Nicole Stelter, director of behavioral health at the Blue Shield of California, defined eco-anxiety as “awareness and worry” from observing the irreversible effects of climate change and the resulting sense of hopelessness. Anxiety about missing educational time is exacerbated by a lesser-known mental health symptom, eco-anxiety.
Kylie Huang, a 17-year-old Mira Loma High School student, agrees. “It’s really nerve-wracking to see how much the climate is changing right now and how dramatically weather patterns are changing,” she said. I feel like
From 2020 to 2022, Stelter’s colleagues at Blue Shield conducted a national youth climate and mental health survey of 1,300 young people between the ages of 14 and 24. The study revealed a clear relationship between physical health, mental health, and the environment, with 75% of those surveyed in California reporting at least one of her health problems related to an environmental event. I am experiencing a problem.
Stelter and her companions discover that Huang’s emotions are not abnormal.
“Whether we are talking about wildfires, heat waves, severe weather or floods, I think the extreme conditions and their continuation can be overwhelming,” Steter said. “Disruptions to daily life have far-reaching consequences, not only for young people, but also for their parents and communities.”
Read the full CapRadio story here.
For more information on Blue Shield’s BlueSky Youth Mental Health Initiative, click here.
