What is the difference between nostalgia and melancholy

When one feels sad or melancholic quite often, or for long durations of time, and especially without any particular reason, it is possible that the person is suffering from depression. Melancholy is often a symptom of depression and is even synonymous with depression in many psychological circles. Difference between Nostalgia and Melancholy. This sadness could be cause by a number of events, or more often than not, for no particular reason.

Comparison between Nostalgia and Melancholy: Nostalgia Melancholy Definition Oxford Dictionaries A sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past.

A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause. Feelings Can be happy or sad Refers to sadness Description To think about or wanting to relive the past To be in severe sadness, no matter the reason Related conditions - Depression Image Courtesy: viralkivi.

The melancholy is known as a general symptom of depression because when a person is going through periods melancholy for a long time, then the person likely to have depression.

A girl is thinking about the past in which an event occurred of loss of her loved one due to cancer, and there she is experiencing and go through some deep sadness which is referred as melancholy. Normally, she has no clue about being so sad, may be it is because she lost her loved one in the past and now missing all the times or moments which she spent with that person which is thought to be screened by the loss.

Nostalgia is generally defined as a feeling or emotion which could arise because of remembering and lodging of the past. A boy who is now living in hostel and become nostalgic thinking about all the good memories of his home, his loving mother and father, food made from the hands of his mother, his own room, and with his old friends playing and swimming in the swimming pool, and the boy now eagerly wanted to go back home. Above discussion concludes that the melancholy usually refers to ta a gloomy state of mind and makes a person to be in a continuous state of sadness or gloominess no matter what the reason is, whereas nostalgia generally refers to remembering and longing for the past and thinking about it either makes the person extreme happy or sad.

Aimie Carlson is an English language enthusiast who loves writing and has a master degree in English literature. Follow her on Twitter at AimieCarlson. It is very common in the elderly. When a person feels nostalgic, he has memories that stir his feelings and that transport him to his previous life.

A great interest is reflected in memories, photography or any other type of objects that have a special meaning for the individual. Nostalgic memories are always related to specific places, moments or people, which arouse strong emotions for them. On the other hand, melancholy refers to an emotional state characterized by sadness; in case this sadness is very prolonged, then it gives way to depression.

A melancholic person feels sad or unhappy about something.