How do you combat the nostalgia? Or do you embrace it?
Posted by According-Summer-780@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 36 comments
I just finished a rewatch of Peter Kay’s car share (that’s hard to find online I tell ya) and even though the show was from 10 years ago it brought me back to a much happier time. I feel the country and the general mood was in much better shape. Or maybe it’s cause I was turning 18 at that time and now my optimism is wiped out. Anyone else feeling this nostalgia lately and if so, what triggers it for you?
peterchekhov@reddit
Nostalgia is a form of low grade depression, no one remembers the past correctly, they don't remember the miserable days with the good, or the boring with the exciting.
Also nostalgia for a fantasy past has always been used as a political weapon, and that includes now as well.
TrappedUnderIceSpice@reddit
In 10 years time, you’ll look back on this year with nostalgia. It’s all a big SCAM.
Bossman_Mike@reddit
Sometimes you don't realise you are living the best days of your life... until much later.
Boofle2141@reddit
In the words of andy Bernard "i wish there was a way to know you're living in the good old days before you've left them:
jonrosling@reddit
Nostalgia's not what it used to be.
W51976@reddit
Nostalgia has always been about looking back at moments you enjoyed. Sometimes it’s a mixed blessing.
EpponeeRae@reddit
The nostalgia factories just keep pumping it out.
PracticeNo8733@reddit
They don't make it as well as they used to, though.
blueroses8000@reddit
I’ve always been an extremely nostalgic person since I was very young, to the point of making myself feel heartbroken, upset and almost sick at times if something triggered it.
But then I read that it’s literally a form of grief. That seems obvious now because you are grieving the past that’s gone and it can never come back, but that really shook me and changed the way I saw it especially as someone who has been through torturous grief and depression that took a long time to get out of I knew to be careful and that it’s not worth losing your present and future mental health over.
I try to keep it light and positive now and how much I let myself “indulge” in it, it really is futile to get down about it as it’s something you can do literally nothing about, you can’t ever go back. You can and should only look back in a positive way and not let it be something you muse over too long. Make sure there’s lots of busy and fun things ahead in your current life so you can look back in healthy ways but have things to move on with constantly.
One day this will be a time you look back over too, don’t throw it away being too busy looking back over other things during it that you don’t make the memories for this one.
pip_goes_pop@reddit
What a good way of looking at it. This is going to sound silly but a few months ago I caught an episode of Allo Allo on TV. The theme tune started and I felt incredibly emotional. I thought back to the good times watching it with my family as a kid and a wave hit me and I just wanted to cry. Grief for losing that time makes sense.
blueroses8000@reddit
It’s unfortunately taken many years of pain and anguish to get to this point, I’ve been through too much with real grief and depression taking over my life dangerously to let myself go down that path again over just unnecessary nostalgia. And I’m really surprised and proud that I’m able to do this now, as I said I’ve always been the kind of person that indulges the most with it. I still do and always will, but I thankfully have this other perspective now keeping me in check.
I’m also in the midst of utilising all this nostalgia and melancholy that’s always been a part of me into my new business and combining with other skills I’ve got, so at least I’m making something productive out of it!
Omg I’m so glad you’ve mentioned that about the show and how it made you feel. Many years ago I discovered shows like One Foot in the Grave, Absolutely Fabulous and Keeping Up Appearances on the Gold channel and I was happy to be able to watch them as just like you I have such good memories of watching them as a child with my family. But instead it made me feel awful, it made me sad and was starting what I now understand was the very fringes of a depressive episode and the grief of that time gone.
I stopped watching them and since then I felt very weird and almost scared about it, even when I see the listing on the TV guide and like something is wrong with me to feel like this and why can’t I just watch old shows like that. So I feel very validated that you’ve said you experienced the same thing!
CentralSaltServices@reddit
Grief. That's exactly what it is. Watching your kids grow up is the same. It's bittersweet because you're so proud of what they become, but you grieve because you lose the kids they were.
Historical_Project86@reddit
I'm 56, so a shit-ton of things trigger it for me, generally music from when I was in my 20s. Life seemed much simpler, etc. It gets painful, so I try to not think too much about anything other than what's happening today, and try to listen to new or at least more modern music as a result.
Nostaligia thinking about the past.
Panic thinking about the future.
What a bucket of shite.
IamNATx@reddit
Nostalgia has always been a "things"
But I think society has become generally more depressed and there is literal longing for previous years over them being seen as 'the good ol' days' like before.
I think the growth and accessibility of the internet means we are hearing bad things constantly - sometimes that don't even directly affect us - just keep reminding us and reinstalling negativity no matter how much we do to try and focus on the positives. Knowledge is power, but you can have 'too much of a good thing' and we're so aware of so much that it definitely impacts our mental wellbeing as a collective.
W51976@reddit
I have a solution. Switch off from social media feeds.
PeppercornWizard@reddit
While it helps, it won’t increase my wage in line with infliction unfortunately which I feel is a lot of the problem.
IamNATx@reddit
I deleted all social media that I used to use years ago ... I joined reddit the end of last year because as someone who is predominantly bed bound I do need something to occupy me when I'm awake and some form of communication with others.
I block as much negativity as I can whenever I come across anything that makes me feel a certain way and has the chance of it reoccurring.
Bibblejw@reddit
Generally speaking, I would advise conscious embracing.
First, you need to be aware that a large amount of the "nostalgia feel" isn't that things were better then, but that they were better for you. Fewer responsibilities, less visibility of the issues of the day, more freedom. There are some good things about yesteryear, but there are good things about today aswell.
Having said that, there's little enough joy in the world at large that it's self-destructive to deny yourself joy where you find it. Watch the show, play the game, revel in the reminder of the feelings that you had.
IcyPuffin@reddit
It is music that triggers the nostalgia with me. Mostly 80s but some 90s music too.
I just put on the relevant music and embrace it.
MarilynManson2003@reddit
I just let it eat away at me.
Bossman_Mike@reddit
I am definitely noticing time passing much more quickly and things happened much longer ago.
Derbadian@reddit
As someone in their mid 40s, nostalgia is something that I embrace wholeheartedly. It releases endorphins and makes me feel happy.
Tigertotz_411@reddit
See it for what it is. Its a feeling, not reality.
Looking back on things they will always seem different, sometimes better sometimes not. The world was not "more optimistic" thats a totally subjective thing.
The internet is rife with nostalgia-baiting posts because they increase engagement and web traffic and sell things. Its capitalising on peoples' feelings for marketing purposes.
According-Summer-780@reddit (OP)
If you pull up a clip of those random BBC street interviews from the 80s or something, the people were definitely happier. You can see it in them. Not saying they had it easier, I mean on paper we have it cushier than anyone that came before us but en masse we are definitely not happier and I’d say people have a bleaker outlook now generally
ShinyHeadedCook@reddit
Let me tell you, Peter Kay at the top of the tower was a staple for family nights in my family. Hes gone downhill big time since then but it always makes me nostalgic for a time when my family was all together (and some still alive who have now passed). Before we all grew up and live our own separate lives.
According-Summer-780@reddit (OP)
I vividly remember the day my mam brought home a copy of Peter Kay live on DVD that someone at work had borrowed her, the one where he has that purple shirt on. Used to find him as Geraldine McQueen so funny too when I was a kid
Figgzyvan@reddit
Nostalgia’s not like it used to be.
vipros42@reddit
I remember when I was into nostalgia...
h00dman@reddit
Nostalgia is a weird thing.
One is my favourite years was 2007.
I was 19, I was working in a reputable local business (I was a photocopier boy, but still...), I was enjoying life. It's one of those years where I look back and think how good things were then.
It's also the year my dad died.
🤷
Pockysocks@reddit
I generally don't get nostalgic. I look forward to the new experiences and memories I will make.
ClassroomDowntown664@reddit
for me it's any music from the 10s especially late 10s
Serberou5@reddit
Do you fancy going dogging?
According-Summer-780@reddit (OP)
I’ve already been dogging up the back path today with Ken thanks
docju@reddit
Occasionally clips of TV Burp pop up on social media and while I wasn't a teenager at the time, it makes me happy for times I would get a takeaway and watch it with my flatmates, then watch a film (or Take Me Out...) afterwards. Apart from sport, I don't really watch broadcast TV on a Saturday night any more.
threeminutesoftime@reddit
I don't know. It's not what it used to be, that's for sure.
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