It’s hard for modern teenagers to believe this, but there was a time when photographs were not taken using a mobile phone, films were watched on TV, and, at best, a VCR was purchased. Today, nostalgia is considered to be a bittersweet longing for days long gone. Researchers believe that nostalgia can promote psychological health by evoking positive feelings, as well as help maintain emotional balance. But what else does science know about nostalgia?
Nostalgia, according to scientists, is good for your emotional state
What is nostalgia?
Nostalgia is an emotional state that combines sad and pleasant feelings associated with memories of events, places or times from the past to which a person would like to return.
The term is of Greek origin and is formed from two words: “nostos” (return to homeland) and “algea” (mental pain). But in the modern world, this feeling is associated not only with one’s native land, but also with the past in general - with a serene childhood, stormy youth, rich youth and simply bright pleasant memories.
The first to describe in detail what nostalgia is was the Swiss physician Johann Hofer, who introduced this term into official medicine in 1688. He noticed an unusual psychological phenomenon that manifested itself in soldiers serving far from their homeland. Their mental state was greatly depressed, but after returning to their native lands they instantly returned to normal.
From the end of the 17th century until the beginning of the 20th century, nostalgia was classified as a neurological disease. Modern psychology explains this feeling with longing not only for specific places, but also for the past in general. Any person becomes attached to his native places and the circumstances and people surrounding him.
And when the realization comes that it will no longer be possible to recreate the same conditions, pain and sadness arise. These feelings are especially acute among old people remembering their youth.
Nostalgia - what is it?
- Disease.
If people die from melancholy, then this feeling definitely falls into the category of fatal illnesses. In the old days, Swiss soldiers on foreign campaigns were forbidden to play their native songs, so as not to provoke attacks of sadness. - The feeling of nostalgia is like longing for something unfulfilled.
This type is more typical for men who would like to correct the mistakes of the past, while women simply remember the times when they were happy. - The phenomenon of integrativity.
American psychologist E. Erickson believes that every person goes through 8 stages in his life and nostalgia is the last. At this stage, the time of reflection and comprehension of what has been lived begins.
Nostalgia for the past
If you feel homesick for your native place, then in your new home you should hang a photo of your family and friends, the land dear to your heart. You can stay in touch with them all the time and call, write letters, talk on Skype. Those asking how to cope with nostalgia for the past can be advised not to become limp, not to give themselves time to feel sad, but to throw themselves into work. In your free time, have fun, meet friends, have fun. After all, what nostalgia means is despondency and boredom, so you need to do everything to dispel them.
Nostalgia for childhood
This feeling is familiar to everyone and is associated with an expensive home, the warmth of mother’s hands, father’s instructions and the smells of culinary masterpieces. It is clear that with age this goes away irrevocably, parents grow old, and those who were just recently a child are forced to take responsibility and solve their problems on their own. It's not scary to fall into nostalgia. It is much more dangerous to consign to oblivion everything that parents invested in their child, for which they lived, because a person is alive as long as he is remembered. Family trees have become very popular and this is good.
What is nostalgia for a person?
It happens that you become very attached to someone who plays an important role in life. A beloved husband or wife, mother or mentor supports and helps, gives advice, but for some reason this connection is broken. It is clear that it is very difficult to continue life without such support and nostalgia for relationships arises. Each person experiences this period in his own way, but there is someone or something that inspires, gives strength and the desire to move forward, at least in the name of the memory of the one who was nearby.
First mentions and descriptions of the phenomenon
Homer was the first to give a fairly accurate description of nostalgia in the poem “The Odyssey” (written in the 8th century BC). In modern translations, the protagonist's wanderings are presented as adventures. But according to the author’s idea, Odysseus was doomed by the gods to many years of wandering and separation from Penelope. His longing for his homeland and his beloved is described in great detail in the poem.
The phenomenon, as noted above, was introduced into medical science by Johann Hofer in the 17th century. He described in detail what nostalgia is, how it arises and manifests itself. For a long time, this condition was considered a disease. The main “sick people” were traditionally soldiers - young and impressionable guys who found themselves far from their homes for the first time.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the nostalgic state was no longer considered a disease. It began to be seen as regret about events and experiences from the past that a person would like to experience again. A characteristic feature of such memories is that a person can miss even difficult times.
Soviet and Russian actor Vladimir Borisov appropriately compared nostalgia to sclerosis, since it makes you remember pleasant moments from the past, completely forgetting about the terrible circumstances of that time.
Reason for appearance
One of the reasons for the appearance of nostalgia is the natural mechanism of the psyche, aimed at regulating its own state by replacing negative events with positive ones or erasing bad memories. This is a kind of independent process that helps regulate the state when difficult times or unbearable emotions come. The more positive there is in the past, even despite the negative moments, the higher the chance that optimism regarding existing problems will become higher, because there is confidence that you can cope with everything and quite easily endure even critical moments. This is what explains the stories about how people lived better without salaries, and therefore more amicably – in fact. Perhaps there was even more hostility, but for further survival this is removed from memory. It turns out to be a rather retouched reality, where you can miss even extremely difficult times.
An additional option is when the psyche does not edit past events in any way, but under severe stress, neurosis, overload and other negative moments, it begins to isolate only good moments from memory. During this period, a completely understandable longing begins to set in for the missed good that happened, no matter how short-lived (up to minutes) it was from the whole day. This also helps to survive all the bad things that happen in the present, because if mentally and emotionally a person is not in this situation, then it has less power over him - by giving in to dreams or good memories, the mood instantly improves. The difficulty of daydreaming under stress is that there is no resource for it, but positive memories are always at hand, as a kind of resource for further movement forward.
In addition to the fact that nostalgia is triggered by troubles and stress in the present, there is another point - the absence of any events. And then a person fills his life with emotions from the past. It doesn’t matter what memories come with nostalgia, it is important that the person begins to experience emotions again, to experience at least something, even if not so vivid. Emotional hunger pushes people to commit radical acts, extreme behavior, as well as immersion in melancholy about how it was. Former relationships may be remembered, if now the emptiness is associated with loneliness, work moments are often replayed, if at the moment they are only searching for it, as well as other options.
Overload with responsibility and worries often pushes us to remember the times when everything was fine, and no one demanded payment of utilities or the purchase of new boots, there was no need to meet any deadline or go to work at all. The difficulties of relationships and any other difficult and conflicting moments for an infantile person or someone who is too overloaded can be an excellent impetus for nostalgia for other times when there was no such level of tension.
What is nostalgia like?
According to the results of numerous studies, nostalgic experiences always manifest themselves in approximately the same way. But depending on the cause, their nature may differ slightly. There are three main types of nostalgia:
- To my native places
. The most studied type of experience, characteristic of people who find themselves far from their homeland. Even if in a new place a person has a lot of opportunities and his standard of living increases sharply, he may yearn for his native land, where he spent his childhood and youth. - According to the past
.
This condition manifests itself in people to whom their own life seems boring and not bright enough. They remember facts from their own past, invent and embellish them, add positivity and “cross out” bad events. As a result, memories become more pleasant and serene , and the person yearns for the past even more. - According to emotions associated with a person
. We all tend to miss people. But sometimes we are not just sad about the person we would like to meet, but we remember and mentally replay the pleasant situations we experienced together. This state is also nostalgia from a psychological point of view.
Kinds
- Around the Motherland. Typical for emigrants. It often appears when the standard of living in a new place of residence is better than it was in the homeland. Despite the fact that the individual finds himself in conditions more favorable for his existence, he still remembers the good things that happened in his native land.
- According to the past. It often occurs in people who have very few bright events in their lives. As a result, they begin to live in the past, inventing facts of their biography, events that did not happen in reality. As a result, the past looks more vivid than the present, and the person is immersed in these thoughts again and again.
- By emotional connection, by person. Characteristic of people who have experienced separation. The human body produces special hormones that make us happy when we remember a strong emotional attachment, friendship or love. If this connection is broken, hormonal hunger appears, and we ourselves “return” to the past days to again feel the old feelings.
It is also worth considering the presence of a possible pathology, a disease of a psychological nature, which is still found in psychiatry today. Certain individuals may experience particularly severe episodes of sadness, causing depression and even death.
Nostalgia of the modern generation
We have more or less figured out what the term “nostalgia” is and how it appeared. But, you see, the most interesting thing would be to find out what nostalgia is for the modern generation , what do our contemporaries understand by this term? Search engines helped us find out, as they most accurately determine which events, times or phenomena people most often mention in the context of the word nostalgia. And here are the 3 most popular results.
3rd place: nostalgia for childhood in the 90s
Childhood of the 90s is my childhood too. I can say with confidence that it was unique, unique, and will never be repeated among future generations of children. Yes, modern childhood also has its advantages, but it is so different from what we had.
We didn’t have the Internet, smartphones, and at first even regular landline phones. The toys were simple, we invented entertainment for ourselves, and when we wanted to invite our friends for a walk, we shouted to them right under the windows. Our childhood was simple and poor , and it was this lack of abundance that made us truly appreciate the little that we have! At this time, a lot of toys began to appear that were just the ultimate dream for us. Game consoles “Dandy”, “Tamagotchi”, Tetris, lasers... It was amazing!
Nowadays, any child has a smartphone in which he can watch whatever he wants at any time. And we, in order to watch our favorite cartoons, for example, had to wake up on time and watch the TV so as not to miss it. Without smartphones, without computers and social networks, we found ourselves in an incredible time that will never happen again.
2nd place: nostalgia for the 80s
I didn't see the eighties. But those who lived during this time feel especially nostalgic for them. One of the most memorable and striking events of that time: the 80 Olympics in Moscow. The atmosphere there was unique, warm, sincere, and the closing was very emotional. In addition to the Olympics, a very vivid memory is the appearance of the first technology, which at that time was outlandish for many - cassette recorders, players with headphones, televisions.
1st place: nostalgia for the USSR
A record number of mentions of the word “nostalgia” among the modern generation is associated with the period of the USSR. Despite the fact that almost 30 years have passed since the collapse of the USSR, its unique atmosphere, simplicity, unity and sincerity continue to arouse genuine interest among the modern generation. And although I myself did not find the USSR at a conscious age, I myself look with great pleasure at photos of this period, study history, and dream of traveling back in time at least for a few hours and plunging into this unique atmosphere of the Soviet Union.
Longing for childhood
Of course, the feeling of nostalgia for childhood is familiar to everyone; it connects a person with the parental home, the affection of the mother and the severity of the father, and the aroma of culinary delights. Naturally, childhood is gone irrevocably, parents grow old quickly, you have to become adults and learn to solve your problems on your own. To miss your childhood a little, listen to nostalgic music, watch your favorite cartoon is not at all scary. It is much worse not to remember what your parents taught, not to listen to the advice they gave, because a person is only alive as long as they remember him.
Nostalgia: benefit or harm?
A person can control his thoughts well and occasionally allow himself to be immersed in pleasant memories, reliving happy moments from the past, enjoying his own successes and not regretting mistakes. If such immersion in the past evokes pleasant emotions and helps improve your mood, there is no reason to avoid it.
But the opposite situation is also possible. A person may indulge in memories to escape from pressing problems. He develops a real addiction, since living in a world of illusions is simpler and easier than struggling with real difficulties. Psychologists are unanimous that such nostalgia is undesirable and should be avoided by any means available. If you cannot overcome it on your own, it is best to consult a psychologist.
What to do if nostalgia gets out of control
Unfortunately, nostalgia can turn into a disease. Sometimes it consumes a person, holding him in painful memories of the past, which become more painful each time.
You have to part with everything in life sooner or later. This happens due to death, relocation or natural development and change. No matter how fondly you remember the place where you grew up, the people you were friends with, if you return there now, the same emotions and feelings will not be there. Years have passed, you have changed, those people have changed, the place itself has changed, its spirit, atmosphere, the mood of society. But it also happens that there is absolutely nowhere and no one to return to.
These are the memories that consume people. Older people are especially susceptible to painful nostalgia. They often miss another society, another country, another regime. But the inability to go back is not enough to cause uncontrollable nostalgia. It turns into a disease if combined with strong dissatisfaction with the present, its meaninglessness.
If there is no joy in the present, no new guidelines, then a person increasingly indulges in memories and eventually finds himself absorbed by them. After all, every return to reality and awareness of the difference between the present and the past brings unbearable pain.
How to deal with pathological nostalgia? Look for landmarks, anchors in real life. It's helpful to connect with other people who may be nostalgic for the same times. Together you can organize excursions, movie screenings, or other activities that help connect the past and the present. The very group of like-minded people found in the present will become an excellent guide.
What is nostalgia from the point of view of modern science?
Previously, this condition was considered a disease and was studied in psychiatry. Today nostalgia is studied by three different sciences:
- Psychology views this condition as a protective mechanism of the psyche, allowing a person to get rid of negative memories. But the past cannot be returned, and mistakes cannot be corrected, so a person “redraws” the picture of his life in his own memory.
- Philosophy believes that nostalgia is a mythical memory of a fictional “paradise” in one’s own past. A person gradually gains faith that this paradise existed , yearns for it and passionately dreams of returning there. A nostalgic mood is considered a valuable state suitable for philosophical reflection.
- Sociology believes that the feeling of nostalgia is characteristic not only of individuals, but also of social groups. Within the framework of this science, it considers such a phenomenon as “social nostalgia” - a universal longing for an unattainable ideal world , worsening during times of rapid change.
Modern marketers skillfully use nostalgic experiences when developing advertising campaigns. In specialized literature, the term “nostalgia marketing” is widely used. It involves actively appealing to the consumer’s feelings in advertising campaigns (for example, “tastes like when you were a child”).
History of the concept of nostalgia.
The attitude towards nostalgia is touched upon in the works of philosophers, sacred religious books and treatises, and in political ideologies. One of the modern interpretations of the Gospel “Parable of the Prodigal Son” explains that it was longing for his homeland and family that forced his son to return home. Such feelings were not alien to the Ancient world. Odysseus, in search of Ithaca, was incredibly homesick for his native land. And in Athens, exile to other lands was considered the most cruel punishment.
Although the origin of the word is Greek, it originated in the 17th century in a Swiss dialect. While practicing in a military hospital, medical student Johann Hofer observed very real illnesses in soldiers: insomnia, arrhythmia, fever, panic attacks. But the cause was not physiological, but psychological disorders. As soon as the soldier was released from service and sent home, the symptoms miraculously disappeared . Based on the results of observations, I. Hofer first described the phenomenon, which as a result he called nostalgia.
Initially, the concept was used only in special medical literature, and nostalgia itself was defined as a physiological disease . First of all, hired soldiers who were forced to serve in other countries were homesick. The symptoms of nostalgic illness were so severe that they led to suicide. In order not to once again arouse thoughts about their native land, soldiers were forbidden to sing national songs and any mention of their native land.
When the world's population began to actively move to other lands, the concept of nostalgia passed into general linguistic use. Today, the disease is no longer considered as physiological, but as psychological, akin to depression. But in everyday life, this phenomenon is more often used to describe longing for better old times, regret about a bygone childhood, youth. If previously nostalgia was considered life-threatening, today pleasant addition words “sweet”, “charming”, “pleasant” are more often used to describe nostalgic experiences.
What is nostalgia from the point of view of modern science?
Since the emergence of the concept of nostalgia, it has been studied from the point of view of psychiatry. Today it is studied by other sciences:
From a psychological point of view, nostalgia is a defense mechanism of the brain, with the help of which a person unconsciously erases or ignores past negative memories. And he fills the resulting “gaps” with invented pleasant stories and facts. Psychologists call nostalgia sad happiness or pain of memory. We realize with regret that the past will not return, but we constantly reanimate it, making it part of the present.
The concept of nostalgia is closely related to philosophy . The philosophical interpretation of nostalgia explains the concept as a mythical longing for a lost paradise, which in reality did not exist. It is not for nothing that the past is associated with a beautiful country from which we were once expelled and passionately dream of returning back. At the same time, nostalgia is considered a fundamental mood for philosophizing. Pessimism and melancholy are considered similar concepts.
Sociology views nostalgia as a social phenomenon, inherent not to individuals, but to social groups. Social nostalgia is described as a general longing for some ideal world. It is characteristic not so much of individuals as of large classes, accumulations of a significant number of people and society as a whole. Social nostalgia as a social phenomenon is difficult to miss. If in ordinary life such experiences torment small communities, then during turbulent changes nostalgic torment acquires epidemic proportions.
People's pleasant attachment to past experiences is actively used in advertising . There are even terms “nostalgia marketing” or “throwback strategy” to describe it. The simple times of childhood and adolescence seem wonderful compared to the constant stress and worries of an adult. This timeless strategy hits the mark, because with the help of old music, stylization of the original packaging design, it awakens memories of youth, carefree times of romantic love or a joyful journey.
What do excessive nostalgic experiences indicate?
Controlled pleasant memories, such as mild sadness, act as a repository of positive emotions, looking into which a person becomes happier. But excessive immersion in nostalgic memories is akin to addiction: gambling addiction, shopaholism, workaholism. In large doses, longing for the past does not heal, but, on the contrary, leads away from reality. A person gradually withdraws into the world of his own illusions in the hope of re-experiencing the pleasant moments of life.
Practicing psychoanalysts argue: the idealization of the past is not as dangerous as a person’s hope that in the future he will encounter something “from a past life . The ideal past life has that purity and innocence that a nostalgic person today so lacks. Therefore, psychologists compare uncontrolled nostalgia to the sound of sirens that force us to abandon the present and question our future.
Take the test: optimist or pessimist
Why do nostalgic feelings arise?
From the point of view of modern science, a person plunges into such a state in order to feel happier or to briefly escape from pressing problems. Longing for the past can occur when a person experiences feelings and problems such as:
- doubts, internal contradictions;
- loneliness, uselessness;
- overwork, chronic fatigue;
- misunderstanding on the part of loved ones;
- self-doubt, confusion, weakness of spirit.
In an unstable economic, political and social situation, these feelings become aggravated. A person begins to feel nostalgic in order to mentally immerse himself in a state of confidence and stability.
According to scientific research, memories of pleasant events from the past are quite effective in influencing the production of happiness hormones. By immersing yourself for a few minutes in pleasantly exciting experiences, a person quickly improves his own mood , gains confidence and increases self-esteem.
Longing for the past does not always come under difficult circumstances. Sometimes a small thing seen or a song heard can serve as a catalyst. For example, you walk into a store and see a delicacy from your childhood wrapped in the same packaging (remember nostalgic marketing).
Suddenly there is an irresistible desire to experience the taste of childhood. You buy a treat, try it and rejoice. The mood improves, a state of psychological balance occurs. However, the taste may turn out to be different, and then disappointment sets in.
A record with a melody from childhood or a movie you watched many years ago, found in the attic, can cause similar experiences. Nostalgic feelings are especially strong if specific emotions are associated with a pleasant period of life - the first trip to the sea or a romantic relationship.
Why do people get nostalgic?
If memories cause pain, then why do people attach themselves to them? Oddly enough, they help a person feel whole, happy, harmonious.
Sociologists note that people are more susceptible to nostalgia in difficult situations:
- unstable social, financial, political situation;
- personal, social crisis;
- fatigue, overwork;
- doubts, internal contradictions;
- weakness of spirit;
- feeling of loneliness, uselessness, alienation;
- difficulties in relationships with oneself and the environment.
Why are we nostalgic at these moments? To plunge into memories of times of confidence, stability, happiness and feel whole, strong in the present.
It has been scientifically proven that pleasant memories contribute to the production of happiness hormones, improve mood, increase self-esteem and self-confidence. And with a clear mind and a favorable attitude, it is easier to find a solution to a difficult situation.
But nostalgia does not always arise in a difficult life situation; sometimes it is enough to see some symbol from the past. Surely you have experienced this: you come across a delicacy from childhood in a store, smile and without hesitation, buy it and try it. That taste? Great, then you got what you wanted. Nostalgia returned your psychological balance, improved your mood, and you plunged even more deeply into pleasant memories.
Interesting fact: marketers have learned to capitalize on nostalgia. products or recreate old designs, include phrases in advertising text that evoke memories from the past. This is one of the ways to manipulate the minds of consumers.
But reality does not always live up to expectations. It happens that you try a delicacy from childhood, but the taste is not the same, and you think: either the recipe has changed, or I have changed, or the conditions are not the same. The same thing can happen with a movie or a book you loved as a child. In such conditions, there is less and less pleasantness in nostalgia. And sometimes it gets completely out of control.
Can nostalgia be harmful?
Time is fleeting, and every day more and more pleasant events are left behind. Circumstances change naturally, and many things from the past will be missed. Therefore, nostalgic experiences are common to every adult. You can refresh your feelings by returning to your homeland, visiting your home school or meeting with classmates.
But not everyone has this opportunity, and people begin to intensely yearn for the past. In such situations, nostalgic feelings become dangerous. A person is increasingly immersed in painful memories of the past. This condition becomes especially dangerous when combined with dissatisfaction with current living conditions.
If a person has no joys left in the present, he does not see guidelines and the meaning of life, painful longing for the past takes on a pathological character. Immersing himself in memories, he relaxes and feels serenity; returning to the present causes him real pain.
Is it possible to overcome pathological nostalgia on your own? With proper diligence, it is possible. You need to find a way to give maximum meaning to your real life - find a new job (or take on additional responsibilities in your old one), start a hobby, meet interesting people.
What are the benefits of nostalgia?
It turns out that nostalgia has many benefits. It can actually help relieve (cure) sadness, loneliness and coldness. In other words, it can increase happiness, sociability, and warmth. Here are some examples of studies that have shown these benefits:
Nostalgia and happiness
The study of nostalgia and sadness also looked at nostalgia and happiness. To do this, psychologists divided the participants into two groups. They asked the first group to think of something nostalgic, such as a good childhood memory. They asked the second group to think about ordinary memories, such as what they had for lunch a week ago.
The researchers then asked the participants how happy and confident they were when thinking about these memories. Those who thought about something nostalgic during their childhood felt happier and more confident than others.
Read more: If the relationship has reached a dead end
Nostalgia and sociability
In a similar study, participants who thought about something nostalgic were more likely to approach and help a stranger than those who thought about ordinary memories.
Another experiment involved four groups of students from the University of Southampton. The researchers asked one group to think about an event they had all attended. They asked another group to think about a nostalgic memory of their choice. They asked the third group to remember something happy that happened to all of them. The fourth group was not supposed to remember anything.
Participants then answered a questionnaire. Compared to the others, members of the first group not only gave more positive responses, but they were also more likely to reach out to other Southampton students.
Nostalgia and warmth
The study of nostalgia and coldness also looked at nostalgia and warmth. The researchers found that participants who were nostalgic about past memories felt warmer and better than other participants. Nostalgic participants also described the temperature in the room as being higher than it actually was.
Psychologists also conducted a follow-up study using a cold water bath. They found that nostalgic participants were able to keep their hand in the bath longer than participants who were not nostalgic.
