Many of us will have felt an overpowering feeling of distress and sadness during this summer, caused by the continuing drought, the uncontrolled fires in much of NSW and other states and the loss of so many lives - humans, animals and plants.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The unrelenting bad news of these disasters has even had an effect on people who may have not been directly affected.
This feeling has a name coined in 2003, by Glenn Albrecht, who called it solastalgia, which is difficult to define with precision, but is nonetheless instantly recognizable. "
"Solastalgia is the pain or sickness caused by the loss of, or inability to derive solace from, the present state of one's home environment," wrote Albrecht.
"Solastalgia exists when there is recognition that the beloved place in which one resides is under assault."
The type of assault may vary. The force of the assault may vary. The loss and unease that follows in the wake of the assault do not.
We need to lift our spirits by getting out and enjoying nature again.
The health benefits of being in your garden or out in the bush are backed by science and is something the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, which means "forest bathing" or "taking in the forest atmosphere".
One study found people felt less anxiety, anger and fatigue after spending time in a natural environment and pausing to use all the senses to enjoy the serene feeling, smell, touch, sight and sounds.
One of the minor results of this terrible season of bushfires and drought has been that the Gloucester Environment Group's monthly bushwalks have been curtailed due to closure of most tracks and trails in the State Forests and National Parks.
Plus the ongoing heat and dryness of the bush made bushwalking not a particularly appealing activity.
Now that we have had some rain, which is helping the bush regenerate and encouraging us to get out into nature again, our walks coordinator Alison is endeavouring to fill this year's walks program.
For details about our next walk or other activities of the Environment Group, contact Jeff on 6558 7436 or Alison 0409 718 795.
Editor's note: Solastalgia: The Distress Caused by Environmental Change was a paper first published in 2007, authored by eight individuals including Glenn Albrecht.
Collaborative research teams found solastalgia to be evident in two areas: the experiences of persistent drought in rural NSW and the impact of large-scale open-cut coal mining on individuals in the Upper Hunter Valley of NSW.
