Solastalgia is a term coined by Australian environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht to describe a specific psychological pain from the changing places we live in. It is not an official diagnosis in the DSM or ICD, but it is a useful concept in psychology and public health. The most prominent driver of solastalgia today is climate change: it is accelerating extreme weather events, changing the appearance of the landscape, and disrupting the habits and certainties that make up our sense of home.

Why does climate matter?? Climate change is increasing the likelihood and intensity of heat waves, long periods of drought, and sudden torrential rains and floods. In both mountainous and lowland areas, it is bringing seasonal shifts, tree deaths from drought and pests, more frequent forest fires, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss. In cities, the heat island effect and fluctuations in air quality are deepening. These changes are not abstract – they are changing the appearance of local rivers, forests, parks, and fields, the backdrops of our daily lives. When a “familiar landscape” is rapidly turning into a “foreign landscape,” for many it means a loss of anchorage and meaning.

How does solastalgia manifest itself:

– persistent sadness, anger, or helplessness when looking at devastated or dried-up places

– anxiety triggered by climate news, concerns about weather and future damage

– insomnia, body tension, headaches, fatigue

– avoiding once-favorite locations because they trigger pain and memories of “the way things were”

– social withdrawal, loss of interest in activities related to local nature

Who is more vulnerable? People dependent on the land and water – farmers, fishermen, foresters – but also residents of areas affected by repeated heat waves, floods or fires. Children and young people are also at risk, who are intensely aware of climate risks through news and social media and may feel that their future is “narrowing”. In cities, solastalgia is increasing after the loss of greenery, the drying up of parks or after storms that change neighborhoods overnight.

How does it differ from related phenomena:

– Nostalgia is the longing for a home we have left. Solastalgia is the pain of home because home has changed.

– Eco-anxiety is a broader fear of future climate threats. Solastalgia is more of a sadness and stress about local changes already underway.

– Ecological grief is the grief over the loss of species and ecosystems; it overlaps with solastalgia, but the latter emphasizes attachment to a specific place.

Why climate change hurts: It is global, long-term, and often irreversible on human timescales. Its “signature” is present in many everyday situations today—from empty wells and poor harvests to repeated evacuations during extreme weather. It also brings a sense of helplessness: individuals did not directly cause the changes, but they suffer the consequences. When fair decision-making is lacking and communities have no voice in adjusting their environment, the psychological burden increases.

What helps at an individual and community level:

– Naming and sharing: talk about it with loved ones, in community groups, or with an expert. Just acknowledging that this is a legitimate response to climate and landscape change brings relief.

– Body and nervous system care: sleep, regular exercise, spending time in nature (even modified ones), breathing techniques, journaling.

– Care rituals of place: tree planting, riverbank restoration, community gardens, local monitoring and mapping of changes. They give a sense of efficacy.

– Information hygiene: limit doomscrolling, also search for solutions and recovery stories.

– Professional help: psychotherapy working with grief and trauma; if symptoms persist, seek professional help.

Systemic steps to reduce solastalgia:

– adaptation to climate change (green and blue infrastructure, urban shading, water retention in the landscape)

– restoration of ecosystems and protection of biodiversity

– just transformation of affected regions and participatory planning so that communities have a voice

– emphasis on prevention: reducing emissions and supporting sustainable solutions that reinforce the feeling that changes are being actively worked on

Solastalgia reminds us that mental health and climate change are inseparable topics. It is not a sign of weakness, but a natural human response to loss and uncertainty. If you recognize these feelings in yourself, you are not alone – support can be found in the people around you, in self-care, and in meaningful steps that bring hope and renewal to the place you call home. JRi