The emotion that links climate change and mental health struggles
Researchers believe an unusual word coined in just 2023 can be used to explain the link between the negative impacts of climate change on mental health.
Solastalgia - a combination of the words solace and nostalgia - is being used by researchers at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland to describe a lack of consolation or comfort, and feelings of distress caused by the impacts of climate change.
The study, which included research from Australia, USA, Germany and Peru, found there was a strong correlation between solastalgia and mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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An increasing amount of people are becoming more impacted by climate change. Sherryn Groch
"Solastalgia is one of several eco-emotions, such as eco-anxiety, eco-grief, or eco-shame and guilt, which might be important in explaining mental health problems arising from ecological crises," the researchers said.
"Studies have shown that solastalgia often involves feelings of helplessness and resignation, as environmental changes typically lie beyond the affected individual's control."
A survey by the Climate Council last year found half of all Australians had lived through a climate-fuelled disaster which had negatively impacted on their mental health, with 19 per cent saying the impact was moderate to major.
However, the researchers suggest there were stronger associations of poor mental health with ongoing environmental destruction, rather than one-off events such as bushfires or severe flooding.
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Despite the ferocity of bushfires and other one-off climate disasters, the ongoing environmental issues are having more of an impact on people. Alex Ellinghausen
"Solastalgia might either be more intense or salient in scenarios of ongoing environmental destruction as opposed to one-time events, or in scenarios which are clearly human-made and not attributable to any other causes," the paper said.
They also believe solastalgia is stronger when an individual feels powerless or pessimistic towards climate change.
"Studies have shown that solastalgia often involves feelings of helplessness and resignation," they said.
"As environmental changes typically lie beyond the affected individual's control."
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