Learn about the history of homesickness from Weber State University professor Susan Matt author of "Homesickness: An American History." Known as "nostalgia" during the 18th and 19th centuries, homesickness was considered a legitimate ailment that soldiers could be discharged for. With symptoms ranging from fever to heart palpitations, there was a widespread belief that this was a condition you could die from. The belief was so prominent that generals forbade army bands from playing "Home Sweet Home" for fear that it would sicken the troops. However, a shift happened during WWI, where instead of being discharged for being homesick, soldiers mocked and told to stop being "big babies." Susan Matt explains how homesickness went from being a condition taken seriously by the military to now being an emotion associated with dependency.
