We all sigh at times over the past. Most often we are told that this is a useless activity and we must live for today. But how you want to go back at least for a while, especially now, when the future looks vague.
With an unstable present and an uncertain future, the past seems especially beautiful to us now. However, the attachment to the past seems to be contrary to reasonable arguments. After all, we are usually called to “live here and now” and “not to cling to yesterday.”
Nostalgia has been synonymous with depression for centuries. During the Thirty Years’ War, several Spanish soldiers were discharged from the army due to nostalgic attacks. The term «nostalgia», formed from the Greek words «nostos» (return home) and «algos» (pain), was invented in the XNUMXth century by the Swiss physician Johann Hofer, who suggested that it was a mental disorder.
Although radical ideas about this condition have since softened considerably, it is still viewed in a somewhat negative light. But is it really so bad to look back? Especially now.
Psychology of memory and nostalgia
Mentally returning to the old days, we cannot remember exactly how it was in reality then. Memories are the brain’s attempt to connect us to the past. The key word is «try». When we experience an event, there is no “Record” button at hand. And when we try to resurrect it, we cannot press «Play». Memory offers only a very rough reconstruction.
If longing for the past rolls in, we see mostly good things. Most likely, not all lived experience was positive, but looking back, we see the bad only in general terms and do not delve into the details.
Our memories seem to be drawn with a wide brush, which, fortunately for us, paints over all minor flaws. In a word, nostalgia is a warm reflection of the past, caused by our imagination.
What is useful nostalgia
Indulging in nostalgia is not just a pleasant pastime. Research says it’s beneficial. For example, it gives a feeling of infinity. Isn’t it amazing that today we are no longer what we used to be? We think differently, we feel differently, and we act differently. We are even biologically different, because in a few years most of our cells are rebuilt.
“You are not the same as you left that station and will arrive at the terminus,” wrote Thomas Elliot. Every morning we wake up slightly changed, and only memory unites us into a whole person. If this process is disturbed, we disintegrate and cease to enjoy life.
Research has also found that people who are often nostalgic have a more holistic self. Moreover, nostalgia develops self-esteem. The habit of looking back helps us realize where we came from and how we got to where we are now. It helps to compose a meaningful story of our life, to collect all the disparate events and experiences into a coherent story.
Nostalgia has a positive effect on mental health. It has been shown to reduce the high levels of cortisol that the body uses to respond to stress. And those who are not averse to nostalgia are less prone to depression and anxiety.
The authors found that for people who had traumatic experiences in childhood, pleasant memories turned out to be a real salvation, and this suggests that nostalgia is useful not only when the past is cloudless.
The benefits of nostalgia are undeniable, whether it’s the feeling of infinity, achieving mental balance, or just having a good time. In addition to purely instrumental value, it helps to let go of painful thoughts from the past. As Gabriel García Márquez said: “No matter what happens, no one can take away from you the dances that you have already danced.”
Nostalgic, because now pleasant memories are needed more than ever.