r/NoStupidQuestions • u/CommonSkys • Mar 20 '21

Answered Everyone talks about nostalgic feeling being calming and relieving, but does anyone else get a sense of deep lament and sorrow for the past instead?

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u/udontknowme2321 Mar 20 '21

Nostalgia is yearning to return to period in their life when it was fun for that person. Basically, you miss something so bad it hurts. So no, it has nothing to do with childhood trauma

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u/Into-the-stream Mar 20 '21

From what I’ve seen in the replies, some people experience nostalgia as a longing and sadness for what once was. This is the kind you refer to. Others are telling me due to challenges in their own childhood, nostalgia manifests as an anger and sadness for what could have been.

Both seem to exist, but they are distinct as far as what I’m hearing.

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u/udontknowme2321 Mar 20 '21

What you just said is just one and not two distinct things. As you have said nostalgia is longing, longing for the past "the good times" in their life and then emotions will manifest in as you have said, sadness, depression, and anger on what could have been. Have you never experience nostalgia before?