By Nupur Apte
Nostalgia is defined as a sentimental longing or wistfulness for the past, stemming from a person’s positive memories. The feeling was first characterized by Swiss scientist Johannes Hofer, who categorized nostalgia as a neurological disorder in his 1934 dissertation on nostalgia. This view would persist until the early 21st century, when nostalgia would have its rebrand as a positive and beautiful longing for the past.
Hofer’s ideas depict nostalgia as a disease accompanied by various maladaptive psychological and physiological symptoms, including anorexia, despondency, and fevers. This negative view of nostalgia would persist through the 20th century, and by the late 20th century, it was seen as a form of depression, with its core components being anxiety, pessimism, and insomnia.
The turn of the millennium fostered the rebrand of nostalgia, largely an effect of the studies by Dr. Clay Routledge. It was in these studies that the positive effects of nostalgia were researched, including its positive effects on self-esteem, reduction of anxiety, and its ability to place a meaning on a person’s life.
The rocky road of nostalgia is pictured through its years of mischaracterization, and the importance of this bittersweet feeling is felt through its connection to the positive memories it is built upon.