Author: Dylan Luyten, MD

Educational Pearls

• Johannes Hoffer coined term Nostalgia in 1688 in his medical dissertation.

• Nostalgia was a formal medical diagnosis, and one that dates back to 17th century when soldiers had longing for home and melancholy with a constellation of symptoms including lethargy, sadness, disturbed sleep, heart palpitations, GI complaints, and/or skin findings for which the only cure was to return home.

• In the civil war, over 5000 soldiers were given medical leave for nostalgia.

• Always remember to view your patient in the appropriate context (psychosocial, cultural, historical, etc.)

References

Beck, J. (2013, August 14). When Nostalgia Was a Disease. Retrieved March 08, 2018, from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/when-nostalgia-was-a-disease/278648/