Is nostalgia a neurological disorder or it is just a normal feeling or attachment with our past?
Sometimes somethings just remind us of the
past. Things we used to be very attached in our past for instance music, a certain
sound, event, etc. and then suddenly something reminds us of that attachment
and we get a pleasure of enjoying that moment again. Sometimes it's pleasure
and for some bad events in past, it becomes a cause of sorrow or even anxiety
or depression.
The sentiments you have about your past that gives you a pleasure in your present is called nostalgia.
Before the 17th century nostalgia was referred to as a neurological disorder. The word is combination of ancient Greek, "Nosos" means returning to home or native land and algos referred as pain or suffering. The reason behind it was that the soldiers longing to go to home, always having an urge to meet their families and remembering them was referred to as a bad sign of nostalgia. At that time many psychologists attributed that it is a sign of severe depression if someone is living in the past.
Well, always living in a past can be red flag of depression but sometimes having an affectionate feeling for your past, Sharing or reliving your past is a healthy lifestyle. As after 19th and 20th century after many researches, researchers found that nostalgia is not a neurological disorder, but in fact it is a good way to deal with loneliness, boredom and anxiety. It was found that many almost everyone has this sentimentality with some events in past. While remembering about the good events and attachments in the past, one feels a pleasure and gives a feeling of having a continuity in life, reminding him/her of his/her roots. It gives a texture to life and strength to move on. It gives a will that the life had good events the problems were resolved so it gives a hope that everything can be solved. In fact, while sharing your nostalgic memories gives a kind of relief and attachments to others. Couples who share their thoughts and memories of their past tend to become closer. When you share your experiences with others, the other person understands you better and the bonding becomes more stronger eventually. It reduces stress and feeling of loneliness.
Experimenting if it’s true or not
To test whether it's true or not some researchers did a very interesting experiment. They made some people read about a very deadly disaster to study their behavior. Expectedly they were worried about the victims of disaster and their feeling of being alone so they became more nostalgic. The experiment was a success as they practiced some nostalgic activities or exercises and then they felt less depressed.
Memories can be also a mix of sorrow and joy
These exercises are not always Joyous and stress relieving. Sometimes some memories are not always content. Sometimes they are mix of both the sorrow and joy. We remember the good parts, good time and events spent with a particular person but when we remember that the particular person in no longer with you, it becomes painful to remember. As long as you face the truth and share more good side of your nostalgic attachment, nostalgia remains a healthy activity. But when you keep remembering and not sharing the bad sides of your past for example any trauma, any person you lost, or sometimes people overthink and try to feel and bring back the older themselves that doesn't feel any more in you as you evolve day by day, then nostalgia becomes a problem. This sense of loss of others or yourself causes anxiety and mental illness. But according to researches nostalgia is not the only or main cause of anxiety in such rare cases, there are many other factors involved for example any genetical disorder, any other mental or neurological disorder that has nothing to do with nostalgia.
The positive results of nostalgic exercises are way more than the negative ones that have been seen very rarely. And it is also not clear that the negative outcomes are even the result of nostalgia or not.
This means that we cannot relate nostalgia to home sickness as in early centuries it used to be referred as. In fact, it is a healthy activity to get a relief from stress or something disturbing you. But indulging too much in your past is also not good as you enjoy less in your present or your mental health gets affected if you keep remembering about past unhealthy events. So, conclusively Nostalgia is not a neurological disorder but if practiced occasionally in appropriate manner it can become a healthy activity to get rid of daily stress.
