"Oh, where are those old days, were things really like this before?" We often hear such sentences from our elders. Longing for the past is a situation many of us experience. However, as time swiftly passes, nostalgia sometimes brings joy, sometimes sadness. For this, engaging in nostalgia can have effects on our mental and physical health, according to the experts.

Clinical psychologist Gökşin Aköz emphasizes that indulging in nostalgia may reduce the risk of memory-based diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's. However, Aköz also points out that being obsessively stuck in the past can lead to serious pathological problems, depressive moods, grief, and a sense of inadequacy.

In a study conducted at the University of Southampton, participants exposed to disaster scenarios and loneliness emphasized in a personality test were observed to embrace nostalgia more, reducing feelings of anxiety and depressive emotions. These findings indicate that nostalgia can function as a defense mechanism.

Although being obsessively stuck in the past can have serious pathological effects, Aköz explains: "Nostalgia means not only remembering the past but also reliving the emotions within the past. Even if we can't remember an event, we can recall the emotions it brought years later. This emotional connection strengthens people by remembering past struggles and looking to the future with hope. Additionally, studies suggest that nostalgia can reduce pain perception. In other words, a person can frame painful experiences by managing unwanted stimuli."

Acknowledging that nostalgia can have positive effects, Aköz also points out: "Turning it into an obsession by constantly dwelling on the past can create negative feelings. This situation may lead to psychological issues like anxiety, sadness and depression, along with physical effects such as heart attacks, increased blood pressure and elevated sugar levels."

"Although nostalgia is considered beneficial for the soul, an obsessive focus on the past can complicate emotional coping, especially in processes like trauma and grief. In conclusion, nostalgia, or the longing for the past, offers continuity between past times and the future, proving advantageous when experienced at a healthy level," she explains.