Remember those good old days? Chances are, your life is actually better now than it was in the past. More times than not, you remember things better than they were; that is called nostalgia.
Nostalgia is something everybody feels, and contrary to what some people may believe, living a little in the past is good for your health. Nostalgia is the feeling that brings back “good old memories,” those happy times when everything was better. According to Psychology Today however, nostalgia heavily distorts past memories in what is called the “memory bump.” The memory bump spans the ages of fifteen to thirty and glorifies what studies have shown to be the lowest percentage of people rating themselves “very happy”; this includes a study done by Mroczek and Kolarz in 1998.
Many people think that this glorification of the past leads to depression or is a result of it, but in reality it is a coping mechanism for it. According to elitedaily.com, “The act of reminiscing has been shown to counteract loneliness and anxiety, while also promoting personal interactions, and improving the longevity of marriages.” This shows that while you think that thinking too much of the past can be a bad thing, it can actually improve your outlook on life.
According to a Scientific American article, “Sentimental recollections often include loved ones, which can remind us of a social web that extends across people—and across time.” Being nostalgic does not signify weakness in people or their mental stability; it merely shows their desire to be connected to others.
So if people are better off and overall are happier now than they were in the time of their memory bump, why do people need to feel cheered up or think of times gone? The answer is responsibility. As people get older they have more things to do, such as work, take care of their children or grandchildren, hang out with friends more on weekends, take care of their house, to name a few. People feel more overwhelmed because of these things and often think that they would rather be in a time where life was easier. While this could be true, if a thirty year old reminisces about being thirteen, they would miss out on driving to wherever they want whenever, going to movies on their own, going through high school (and maybe college), which many consider to be great aspects of their lives.
Sometimes people take for granted the things they have; other times however, they just like looking back at all of the things they have accomplished. Nostalgia, like any other tool of the mind, is something best used in moderation for the best result.
