Generation Dread

An impassioned generational perspective on why climate emotions are completely natural and necessary, and how we can be stronger for them.

Climate and environment-related fears and anxieties are on the rise everywhere, with few resources to address them. As with any type of stress, eco-anxiety can lead to paralysis, burnout and avoidance.

In Generation Dread, Britt Wray seamlessly merges scientific knowledge with emotional insight to show how these complicated feelings are a sign of our humanity, and acknowledging and valuing them is key to making it through present and future crises. This isn't a simple process, and it's not a level playing field when it comes to our vulnerability, she notes. However, with the worsening situation, we are all on the field--and unlocking deep stores of compassion and care is a crucial step in healing our relationship to the planet and each other.

With openness and curiosity, Britt explores her own fears about starting a family when evidence of dangerous environmental shifts creates an especially bleak picture of what lies ahead. Weaving in:
- valuable insights from climate-aware therapists;
- reflections on the emotional impact of ecological catastrophes;
- critical perspectives on the role of race and privilege in this crisis;
- ideas about the future of mental health innovation;
- and creative coping strategies to foster connection, meaning and resilience,

Generation Dread brilliantly illuminates how we can learn from the past, from our own emotions and from each other to survive--and even thrive--in a changing world.
About the Author: BRITT WRAY is a writer and broadcaster researching the emotional and psychological impacts of the climate crisis. She is a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, where she investigates the mental health consequences of ecological disruption, and holds a PhD in science communication from the University of Copenhagen. She is the author of Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics and Risks of De-Extinction. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Washington Post, TIME, The Walrus, Wired, The Sunday Times, and The Globe and Mail, among others. She has hosted several podcasts, radio and TV programs with the BBC and CBC, is a TED Resident, and writes Gen Dread, a newsletter about staying sane in the climate crisis: gendread.substack.com.