The psychology of nostalgia

The psychology of nostalgia

How do people find comfort in looking back at the past? This episode of All In The Mind takes that familiar ache of remembering and shows how nostalgia can feel both heavy and healing at the same time. Host Sanna Qadar introduces producer Jennifer Leake’s story, which traces nostalgia from its early days as a supposed medical disorder through to its modern reputation as a surprisingly helpful coping strategy.

Psychologist Christine Batcho explains how nostalgia was once seen as a kind of melancholy, but current research shows it can change mood and behaviour, and even help with anxiety and depression. As she puts it, "You cannot recapture anything from your past.

You can only revisit it." You’ll hear from John Macdonald, who started the "Lost Brisbane" Facebook group after his father’s death and watched local-history pages spread "like a barrel of gunpowder" as people reconnected with their memories and hometown pride. Researcher Tim Wildschut from the University of Southampton shares findings that nostalgic people tend to be more social, more empathetic, and more likely to use healthier coping strategies than those who turn to escapism and substance abuse.

Writer Anna Spargo-Ryan talks about retreating into ’90s TV and old video games during COVID lockdown as a way to step out of constant bad news, while advertising creative Karen Ferry shows how brands tap into shared childhood sweets and rituals to spark a warm sense of collective memory. Threaded through are the particular pressures of the coronavirus pandemic: isolation, loss of old routines, and the comfort of scrolling back through photos and posts.

Rather than trapping people in the past, nostalgia here is framed as a bridge that can lead from sadness to hope, and even support future planning. If you’ve ever wondered whether those late-night trips through old photos are helping or hurting, this conversation might give you a fresh way to think about what your memories are doing for you.