Medically reviewed by Matthew Boland, PhD — By Crystal Raypole on July 14, 2021 * Nostalgia and depression * Benefits of nostalgia * How to cope * Finding support -- PinterestJoscha Malburg/EyeEm/GettyImages Nostalgia refers to those wistful, sentimental feelings that surface when you recall significant experiences, relationships, places, and other bits of the past. Often, nostalgia inspires positive emotions — a sense of meaningfulness or life purpose, social connection, and optimism. But it can have a downside, too — a lingering aftertaste with an unpleasant bite. -- Once upon a time Experts did consider nostalgia a mental health condition at one point. Physician Johannes Hofer first used the term in the late 1600s to describe the anxiety, homesickness, disordered eating, insomnia, and -- fighting away from home. By the 1800s, nostalgia was considered more of a melancholic depression tinged with homesickness and loss. In the late 1900s, sociologist Fred Davis began to draw clear distinctions between nostalgia and homesickness. Others took his work further, highlighting nostalgia’s possible consequences and potential benefits. The link between nostalgia and depression A glimpse of a familiar face, the refrain of a long-forgotten song, a -- Worry and rumination Nostalgia might cast a longer shadow if you have a habit of worrying or often find yourself fixating on dark and unwanted thoughts. A 2012 study explored potential negative effects of nostalgia in a sample of over 200 adults. The participants, most of whom were university students, answered questions about their: -- keep. Research from 2020 exploring the effects of nostalgia on well-being called nostalgia a “mixed emotion,” one that can have both positive and negative effects. Through several diary studies, researchers found evidence to suggest that nostalgia can sometimes create a cycle of distress: * You might notice spontaneous nostalgia as you go about your day, especially after unpleasant events, like a fight with your partner or a bad day at work. -- negative thoughts. Eventually, you could begin to feel sad, even somewhat depressed. * This distress can, in turn, prompt further nostalgia. What’s more, existing feelings of depression or sadness can lay yet -- Loneliness and loss Nostalgia often surfaces when thinking of loved ones, both those you haven’t encountered in some time and those you no longer spend time with. If you lost a friend or loved one and feel like you never got real closure, this nostalgia may feel even more distressing. Anticipatory nostalgia, or a longing for someone or something you haven’t yet lost, can also trigger anxiety and preemptive sadness. -- yourself missing them well before they’re gone. The upside of nostalgia All that being said, nostalgia isn’t always negative. In fact, experts have associated it with several positive aspects of emotional well-being: -- important experiences can remind you that life has value and meaning — even if it didn’t turn out exactly how you predicted. * Belonging and connection. Nostalgia may sometimes contribute to feelings of loneliness, but 2020 research also suggested it can help you feel more connected to others. Thinking of the people you -- toward goals and improve circumstances you aren’t happy with. Nostalgia could even inspire you to get help for depression. In a 2020 study, researchers created two different announcements for the campus counseling center for 148 university students living with depression. One announcement was specifically designed to trigger feelings of nostalgia. The students who watched the nostalgic announcement reported -- Instead of drawing comparisons between “now” and “then,” harnessing your nostalgia can help you cultivate gratitude for defining life events or people who truly changed your life. -- Seek out fulfilling relationships When nostalgia leads to yearning for lost friends and loved ones, you can challenge feelings of loneliness by turning toward the important people in your present. -- A mental health professional might not diagnose nostalgic depression, but they can offer support when nostalgia leads to lingering emotional distress. -- present. Some evidence suggests spontaneous nostalgia, or the recollections that come up in daily life, tends to have more of a negative impact than the nostalgic feelings that come up when someone asks you to recall a -- * recognize potential triggers for these feelings * create strategies to counter rumination * explore strategies to cope with nostalgia productively * identify symptoms of anxiety, depression, or other underlying mental health concerns -- avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. * Abeyta AA, et al. (2020). Combating loneliness with nostalgia: Nostalgic feelings attenuate negative thoughts and motivations associated with loneliness. frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01219/full * Batcho K. (2019). Speaking of psychology: Does nostalgia have a psychological purpose? apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/nostalgia * Batcho KI. (2020). When nostalgia tilts to sad: Anticipatory and personal nostalgia. frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01186/full * Bridge DJ, et al. (2012). Neural correlates of reactivation and retrieval-induced distortion. jneurosci.org/content/32/35/12144 * Newman DB, et al. (2020). Nostalgia and well-being in daily life: An ecological validity perspective. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7513922 * Hussain SA, et al. (2020). Effect of nostalgia as a motivational force for depressed students to seek professional psychological help. -- ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927028 * Routledge C, et al. (2011). The past makes the present meaningful: Nostalgia as an existential resource. psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-15473-001 * Routledge C, et al. (2013). Nostalgia as a resource for psychological health and well-being. psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-38800-004 * Sedikides C, et al. (2008). Nostalgia: Past, present, and future. researchgate.net/publication/313213209_Nostalgia_past_present_and_f uture * Verplanken B. (2012). When bittersweet turns sour: Adverse effects of nostalgia on habitual worriers. psych.hanover.edu/Research/exponnetresults/Verplanken%20(2012).pdf * Wildschut T, et al. (2008). Nostalgia — From cowbells to the meaning of life. thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-21/edition-1/nostalgia-cowbells-m eaning-life