As a follow up to the last post, I'd like to post a few pointers (and some "props") to the Australian Psychological Society.
First the props. I've been impressed with the emphasis on mental health in Australia since I first heard about it a few years ago with the beyondblue initiative. The purpose of this intiative is to make depression a national priority and bring out depression from being stigmatised to being discussed in the wider community beyond just mental heatlh professionals. Very, very cool, and very very necessary. Relatives of mine who teach elementary school out in BC tell me that this program has produced curriculum aimed specifically at teaching gradeschool kids techniques for good mental health. Even cooler.
Anyone who knows me, knows I talk a lot about the mental health aspects of being involved in environmental issues, of being the activisty sort, or of being neither but still coming to grips with the media reports and general environmentalist chatter. I believe recognising and openly discussing and dealing with mental health issues (especially ones that don't seem "severe" or seem part of every day life) is immensely important in effectively coping with environmental issues. Good mental health => sustainable, effective positive action.
So, it's incredibly impressive to see these topics being dealt with directly by the APS. They have an entire section of their website devoted to research on the topic of the psychology and climate change. In particular, check out this excellent "tip sheet" on what you can do to deal with climate change.
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Lobbying for climate change can be much like fighting wind mills and thus very depressing.
If you start feeling responsible for other people's wrong actions (after having failed to convince them), you're definitely hurting your mental health.
In my opinion, trying to convince other people is not a good thing to have on your list of life goals anyway. When you try to convince somebody, you are assuming that they are wrong and you are right. I think this is not a good basis for a relationship. It opposes you to others, but since humans are highly social animals what you need is the opposite: feeling part of a crowd, feeling close to other people.
For a start this requires that you value their opinion as high as your own. And that means that you are not going to lecture them...
Personally, I think your main focus should always be on yourself and those friends who share your ideals. When you have the same goals you can exchange with them about the little things that make you more ecologist, feminist, christian, socialist or whatever your ideology is. (I would include my own in the list, but it doesn't have a name that can be invoked so conveniently. But recent posts on my own blog show some aspects of it.)
Since you mentioned mental health, I want to pass on a link I received via comment on my own blog: video of a talk "Not good enough" -- Martin Seligman on the state of psychology
The idea is that traditionally psychology does only fight mental illness (remove pain), but what it ought to do is go further from there and help people to be more happy ("add pleasure", so to say).
I have written a subjective, mediocre summary of the talk, but highly recommend everybody see the original.
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