What is solastalgia?
Solastalgia, discussed here alongside eco-anxiety, is a form of suffering and distress linked to environmental change, particularly global warming and biodiversity loss. Australian philosopher Glenn Albrecht coined the term by bringing together the ideas of “solace” and “nostalgia”.
Solastalgia is not presented here as a separate diagnosis in the official classifications of mental disorders, the DSM and ICD (French-language overviews). Yet the distress may take familiar forms, including depressive symptoms and/or anxiety (French-language information pages). What distinguishes it in this discussion is its connection with awareness of the planet’s condition and the fear that the destruction of much of its biodiversity may become irreversible. These concerns are associated with what some describe as a sixth mass extinction (article in French). The prospect of major losses over the coming decades and centuries can itself be a powerful source of distress.
How might solastalgia differ from other psychological difficulties?
In this account, solastalgia differs less through its symptoms, such as anxiety or depression, than through what gives rise to them. Some therapists argue that its roots may lie less in someone’s personal past than in their capacity to empathise with the destruction of the world in which we live. They therefore question whether its meaning should be sought primarily in individual biography. Still, solastalgia is not the only situation in which treatment need not begin by tracing everything back to childhood. Work with some phobias, generalised anxiety, obsessive-compulsive difficulties and depression may focus on present experience. At the same time, it is difficult, and sometimes questionable, to separate psychological distress entirely from a person’s history, life path and personality.
Here is a video by Jean-Marc Jancovici. I admire his ability to use straightforward language and science to explain why, in his analysis, the world is heading towards disaster. Dear Jean-Marc could almost trigger solastalgia all by himself. The recording is in French.
If you would like to see Jean-Marc Jancovici’s slides more clearly, this presentation uses the same illustrations, this time shown full-screen.
I recommend going to around 19 minutes in the video beneath this image to hear his explanation. It is the same video as above, beginning at a specific point. His account of what future generations may face is particularly unsettling. I would not like to be in their position.
If you have only two minutes to watch a video and understand why people may experience solastalgia, watch this one.
Another possible trigger for solastalgia is Pablo Servigne. His work belongs to the field known as collapsology (French-language overview).
Comment tout peut s’effondrer. Petit manuel de collapsologie à l’usage des générations présentes
Another classic book on the collapse of societies:
Effondrement: Comment les sociétés décident de leur disparition ou de leur survie
