**Solastalgia** is a form of emotional or existential distress caused by negatively perceived environmental change while a person remains in their home environment. Coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht, it translates to "homesickness felt while at home"—the profound grief of watching your landscape change or degrade while being unable to stop it.  [1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solastalgia) [2](https://ebn.bmj.com/content/28/3/87) [3](https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/ecology-news/what-is-solastalgia-and-how-to-face-this-distress) [4](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151030-have-you-ever-felt-solastalgia)  [bureau of linguistical reality](https://bureauoflinguisticalreality.com/portfolio/solastalgia/) Breaking Down the Word The term is a blend of two concepts: - **Solace:** Finding comfort or peace in one's surroundings. - **Nostalgia:** The pain or sickness experienced from being separated from home. [[1](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5820433_Solastalgia_The_Distress_Caused_by_Environmental_Change), [2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solastalgia), [3](https://greenly.earth/en-gb/blog/ecology-news/what-is-solastalgia-and-how-to-face-this-distress)] Common Causes Solastalgia is typically triggered by gradual or sudden chronic changes to a local ecosystem, such as: [[1](https://bureauoflinguisticalreality.com/portfolio/solastalgia/)] - **Climate Change:** Warmer temperatures resulting in lost winter ice, shifting wildlife patterns, or persistent droughts. - **Industrialisation & Pollution:** Large-scale open-cut mining, deforestation, or power-station pollution. - **Natural Disasters:** Volcanic eruptions, extreme wildfires, or floods that destroy the physical characteristics of a well-known home. [[1](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18027145/), [2](https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/what-is-solastalgia-and-how-to-face-this-distress), [3](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24438454/), [4](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20151030-have-you-ever-felt-solastalgia), [5](https://ebn.bmj.com/content/28/3/87)] Solastalgia vs. Eco-Anxiety While closely related to ecological grief, a key distinction exists: [[1](https://ebn.bmj.com/content/28/3/87)] - **Solastalgia** is the _lived experience_ of your immediate environment already changing for the worse. - **Eco-Anxiety** is linked to _worry and concern_ about what may happen to the environment in the future.[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solastalgia) You can explore clinical and psychological research on how environmental changes impact mental health on [BMJ Mental Health](https://bmjgroup.com/solastalgia-might-help-explain-effects-of-climate-change-on-mental-health/). [[1](https://bmjgroup.com/solastalgia-might-help-explain-effects-of-climate-change-on-mental-health/)]