Nostalgia— a drug?? 😵‍💫

I know! Interesting photo to see here, right? Well, the DeLorean not only reminds many of us of a great movie and evokes thoughts of time travel, it also brings me precisely to the topic of my article, nostalgia.

🫠 Ahhhh 1985… Back to the Future came out in theaters and what I would give to go BACK… for the movies, the music, the—well everything, or so it seems. I grew up in the 1980’s and the nostalgia I have for that era is so utterly heavy and overwhelming, so much of the time for me, but why?

🤔 Reflecting on this heaviness, got me thinking about that saying, “nostalgia is a hell of a drug.” So I google it of course and can’t find a definite source of the quote, but then that got me thinking, “Am I addicted to nostalgia? Is it a like a drug?”

So…

🕳️ 🐇

Down

the rabbit

hole I

GO…

Definition of nostalgia: I know all too well what it means to feel nostalgic, but I wanted to read the actual definition of nostalgia…

“Nostalgia is a sentimental, complex,

& often bittersweet longing for the past,

usually for a time or place with happy

personal associations…”

💊 “Nostalgia is a hell of a drug.”

Now, back to that quote. How is it like a drug? Seems a more appropriate question might be how is nostalgia not like a drug, as it is dangerous in many drug-like ways, when you really think about it 😵‍💫 💉

• it’s highly addictive
• it’s easily accessible
• it is available in a variety forms (music, movies, clothes, food, toys, books, furniture, cars, places, people…)
• it’s an escape & can warp or alter one’s perception of reality
• it’s powerful & intoxicating, even likened to a psychoactive substance
• it can evoke strong positive emotions like love, hope and awe
• it offers temporary relief from stress
• it clouds memory, leaving a blissfully incomplete picture of the past
• it can be exploited by media, politicians and corporations to sell anything from toys to political agendas

🧪 “Nostalgia is a sweet poison.”

…So, if nostalgia can be like a drug, and drugs can be of medicinal value, and the difference between medicine and poison is the right dose, or so I’ve heard, then this makes sense and not a lot of further explanation is needed. Simply put, like most indulgences, nostalgia should be enjoyed in moderation to avoid it becoming more poisonous than therapeutic.

🪞 “Nostalgia is a beautiful liar.”

Not only is it a potential drug and poison, it turns out nostalgia is even commonly personified as a “beautiful liar” —of all things! This one hit hard! So negative and such an air of fallacy to it! Well, as it turns

out, “nostalgia” isn’t just a lovely sounding word, rather the true beauty and danger are in the veil that nostalgia can become. It causes an incomplete and false perception of the past by highlighting the positive and omitting the negative, often omitting the reasons why things that were enjoyed came to an end. Nostalgia can easily become a pair of rose tinted glasses to see the past through, if not consumed in moderation.

⚠️ Potential risks /negatives to consider:

Overindulgence of nostalgia can have some undesirable effects:

• compulsive comparison of the present to the past
• avoidance of the present
• disconnection from reality
• disconnection from loved ones
• feelings of sadness or regret
• development of a condition known as “extreme nostalgia syndrome” or “nostalgic depression”

A 2023 article in Medical News Today journal, explored the link between nostalgia and depression. The author noted that although it is not a formal diagnosis, nostalgic depression describes negative emotions and subsequent effects that can occur when an individual compulsively contrasts pleasant memories with negative feelings regarding the present day.

💎 Potential benefits of nostalgia:

While there are clearly some drawbacks, the positives must be highlighted as well. Nostalgia is a useful coping mechanism to provide temporary comfort during stressful or uncomfortable times. Nostalgia can strengthen a sense of identity, personal continuity and social connection as well.

🗝️ Conclusion: So go ahead, sit back, look back even further and indulge a bit from time to time. Let nostalgia sweeten the tea of life occasionally, but be careful not to over do it! Don’t allow that sweetness to become a drug, a poison, or a beautiful veil, woven of lies, through which you gaze upon your past.

As for me, whether drug, poison, or liar, I will continue to welcome nostalgia daily into my life, but the next time I chuckle and proudly admit to being “stuck in the 80’s”, I’ll definitely pause a little as I consider my potential deeper affliction…. 🤔

Thank you for reading & joining me down the rabbit hole!

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