At times in our lives we have a strange feeling of missing certain experiences we had in the past. A sentiment usually followed by “Good old days!” and accompanied by a slight pang in the heart. Such a feeling, in its dark side, is capable of stagnating our lives and filling even the most hopeful heart with melancholy. This dual sensation is known as nostalgia.
Nostalgia, a word formed by combining the terms “nostos” (act of returning) and “álgos” (pain), from the Greek, means “the pain of those who were far from home and wanted to return” and is used to determine the feeling of pleasure and sadness when we remember situations that occurred in the past and that we will not be able to live again in the same way.
Used in 1688 by the Swiss physician, Johannes Hofer, defining it as a neurological disease, it was considered during the Modern Age as a medical condition associated with melancholy. Because of this, his treatment was performed as a psychological pathology. However, with the passage of time and the evolution of medicine, the perception regarding nostalgia has changed, detaching it from this misconception.
Through various studies and research, such as those carried out by the University of Southampton, located on the coast of the United Kingdom, nostalgia also has the ability to elevate vitality, preparing people to face with greater skill the challenges that exist both in the present and in the present time. in the future. This occurs because of the feeling of belonging, not only to past experiences, but also with regard to social connections derived from situations lived and shared with other individuals.
Why do we miss the past?
Once we embark on the quest to understand the meaning behind nostalgia, it is necessary to ask ourselves: why do we feel the need to remember moments that have already happened? Why do we cling so much to memories? And why are they so important in our lives?
Our memories are like little movies that we can access at any time, full of feelings and built from our perspectives. Based on this principle, we have the ability to draw on good memories, seeking relief whenever we feel unmotivated, fearful or sad.
They are also able to serve as a parameter for our attitudes, since we can use our previous experiences to not make past mistakes again and improve our future actions.
In addition, countless times we believe that we have already lived the best there was to live. Especially when we are going through difficult situations in our present. Such a sensation works almost as a comfort zone, in a sabotaging attempt to claim that the past has more value than the time we are living in today.
The dangers of nostalgia and melancholy
It is important that we are able to receive that feeling, feel it with intent, and let go. Missing the good memories and happy moments we live is part of and is also a way to preserve our memories, making the understanding of who we are clearer.
From the moment we let ourselves stagnate by the longing for the situations we experience, preventing us from being present in our daily lives and planning our future, we make room for the fearful feeling of melancholy, which is an absence of courage, excess of boredom and a general apathy, creating a breeding ground for depression.
After all, melancholy, considered by medicine as a mood disorder, when not treated in the right way and at the right time, can end up migrating to depression.
How to make nostalgia not hurt us?
Therefore, we can and should be grateful for what we have lived, keeping our memories tenderly. However, we need to move forward, open to new opportunities and possibilities, believing that they can match the joyful moments lived and even overcome them.
- Understand what depression is and some causes behind its existence.
- What is anxiety and how can it interfere with our lives?
- Don't get stuck in the past and enjoy the present moment!
- Depression and suicide: diseases of the soul
- Tips for having a healthy memory
Be part of your gift! Participate in your life! Create new memories. That way you continue to keep all your memories with affection and in the healthiest way possible.
