When does nostalgia become unhealthy

[Roz]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

Its all about a good balance of the past present and future, being absorbed so much in the past for me was more of an escape from the future, I dread the future as I have no control over it, only the present to some extent which can help shape the future but the past is a place you can go to without fear, its so personal to you its a safe haven to just get lost in your thoughts when you first experienced those happy times and if you are like me you tend to try and find similarities with todays life but get dispondent when it just doesn't compete!
Too much nostaligia though takes me so far away from todays thoughts that I end up wasting time and energy in something I cannot re live or re create, it has a part in todays life in the maybe in a historical /asthetic / novelty sense, e.g a picture of Nirvana on my wall, A Pac Man Mug (that can be used!), an ET keyring haha,
but to actually think that buying a commodore game off ebay is going to make me feel 10 again is not going to work, I dont get that same feeling, the game just ends up on a pile of stuff gathering dust. Toys are useless too, I just end up giving them to daughter who will get more use out of them, I can see her enjoying them the way I did.
So I would also add collecting stuff that is useful and will be used/looked at is better than a dust gatherer bought for the sake of a nostalgic feeling.

I think you make some good points in both of your posts bun

I do think some people live in the past a bit too much because it is a safe haven. I did for a while, used to buy tons of old stuff (toys/mags etc) then realised as you did that my house was becoming a hoarders paradise!

Tv shows and music were better in the past and it's nice to wallow in nostalgia from time to time, but people can become obsessive and a bit cut-off from others which isn't good.

[bun]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

For me, the downside of too much nostalgia is the total opposite. Instead of a claustrophobic feeling I think there's the danger of becoming agoraphobic because I'm surrounded by so much of the stuff I love that there are some days that it takes a supreme effort for me to get out of the house.

Its all about a good balance of the past present and future, being absorbed so much in the past for me was more of an escape from the future, I dread the future as I have no control over it, only the present to some extent which can help shape the future but the past is a place you can go to without fear, its so personal to you its a safe haven to just get lost in your thoughts when you first experienced those happy times and if you are like me you tend to try and find similarities with todays life but get dispondent when it just doesn't compete!
Too much nostaligia though takes me so far away from todays thoughts that I end up wasting time and energy in something I cannot re live or re create, it has a part in todays life in the maybe in a historical /asthetic / novelty sense, e.g a picture of Nirvana on my wall, A Pac Man Mug (that can be used!), an ET keyring haha,
but to actually think that buying a commodore game off ebay is going to make me feel 10 again is not going to work, I dont get that same feeling, the game just ends up on a pile of stuff gathering dust. Toys are useless too, I just end up giving them to daughter who will get more use out of them, I can see her enjoying them the way I did.
So I would also add collecting stuff that is useful and will be used/looked at is better than a dust gatherer bought for the sake of a nostalgic feeling.

[victorbrunswick]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

So do you actually feel like getting rid of some of your things as it makes it hard you getting out of the house.
my things have a positive effect on me.


they bring back memories of when i was a kid memories of when life was simpler and better and the things i have are part of what made life better.

but it does not get to the point of finding it hard to go out.

it does not make me feel agrophobic, or claustrophobic.

I am in the process of downsizing a fair amount. I have tons of books that I haven't looked at in years of which I'll probably never get around to reading.

[darren]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

So do you actually feel like getting rid of some of your things as it makes it hard you getting out of the house.
my things have a positive effect on me.


they bring back memories of when i was a kid memories of when life was simpler and better and the things i have are part of what made life better.

but it does not get to the point of finding it hard to go out.

it does not make me feel agrophobic, or claustrophobic.

For me, the downside of too much nostalgia is the total opposite. Instead of a claustrophobic feeling I think there's the danger of becoming agoraphobic because I'm surrounded by so much of the stuff I love that there are some days that it takes a supreme effort for me to get out of the house.

[victorbrunswick]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

I then found this nostalgia irritated me as my space was dwindling, and my past which had brought me a moment of nostalgia and elation then created a sense of claustrophobia and despondency as the 'stuff' around me didnt feel the same as it did back then. I was not he same person, obviously I was grown up and moved on in two decades. I must say I dont do nostalgia as much as I used to, I'm more into eras that I didnt experienced, e.g. the victorian ages etc.

For me, the downside of too much nostalgia is the total opposite. Instead of a claustrophobic feeling I think there's the danger of becoming agoraphobic because I'm surrounded by so much of the stuff I love that there are some days that it takes a supreme effort for me to get out of the house.

[bun]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

It becomes unhealthy when you refuse to acknowledge and enjoy anything current and look to the future with a sense of doom! I found living in the past just brought to my house heaps of stuff, toys, books, games, papers that were seriously turning my house into one of those off 'extreme hoarders' programme on DMAX! Emptying our loft and buying the odd bit off ebay, I then found this nostalgia irritated me as my space was dwindling, and my past which had brought me a moment of nostalgia and elation then created a sense of claustrophobia and despondency as the 'stuff' around me didnt feel the same as it did back then. I was not he same person, obviously I was grown up and moved on in two decades. I must say I dont do nostalgia as much as I used to, I'm more into eras that I didnt experienced, e.g. the victorian ages etc.

PS : Anyone who wants a heap of Melody Maker/NME papers from 1990's era let me know lol just pay the postage and they're yours

[darren]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

WOW all tv themes from those 3 decades do you mean every theme from every type of programme comedies,cop shows etc.

well im impressed very much.

and why not get things from your childhood i think its such a beautiful thing to do and stirs emotions in us all.

must have been hard getting those radio times mags mate.

board games of the old days far better than those of the last 15 yrs.

just loved being surrounded by things that i loved as a kid it makes feel so good.

for instance im getting all the he man and she ra episodes in the next few days on dvd i be honest when i get the ill shed tears of utter joy.


wanted these for 25 yrs a dream come true.

so how long have you been collecting stuff you had as a kid mate.

I agree like you ,I'm exactly the same, early forties and remember my child hood like yesterday!, I have started to collect things from my childhood like topps bubble gum cards that were lost in a move, also I have manged to get all the Radio Times for my birth date and found all the Xmas ones on dvd to view, along with zx spectrum magazines on dvd, TV themes and shows were really good back then and there were better kids programs back then like Why dont you and Play Away compared with todays rubbish.I have managed to amass all the tv themes from 50 60 and 70s, and I love my old baord games we regualry play Alley Cats, treasure of the Pharohos and buccaneer .

[cookie3131uk]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

I agree like you ,I'm exactly the same, early forties and remember my child hood like yesterday!, I have started to collect things from my childhood like topps bubble gum cards that were lost in a move, also I have manged to get all the Radio Times for my birth date and found all the Xmas ones on dvd to view, along with zx spectrum magazines on dvd, TV themes and shows were really good back then and there were better kids programs back then like Why dont you and Play Away compared with todays rubbish.I have managed to amass all the tv themes from 50 60 and 70s, and I love my old baord games we regualry play Alley Cats, treasure of the Pharohos and buccaneer .

[tony ingram]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

i sure do.
but i only have things that mean something to me.

Likewise. I've been a collector all my life, I love being surrounded by stuff that brings back good memories.

[shilton dipper]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

i sure do.
but i only have things that mean something to me.

you must have a lot of storage space..................unlike me

[darren]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

well at least you are buying things with that money that mattered to you as a klid.

its still a part of your childhood.
your swapping one for the other in a sense.
no harm in getting shot of stuff thts slightly less important and getting other stuff that means more to you.

I used to but in recent years I have been selling off a lot of the stuff that I don't feel is all that important or I do not have any more use for.Most of it can be said to be collectables but very little of it dates from my time.It's just clutter at the moment.It's good to declutter and the money gained is going towards collecting those childrens dramas on dvd that I remember as a kid or badges.I suppose if I had the space I would consider buying up a few vintage 70's games or toys that I remember as like ghost train or haunted house,action man etc.

[battyrat]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

I used to but in recent years I have been selling off a lot of the stuff that I don't feel is all that important or I do not have any more use for.Most of it can be said to be collectables but very little of it dates from my time.It's just clutter at the moment.It's good to declutter and the money gained is going towards collecting those childrens dramas on dvd that I remember as a kid or badges.I suppose if I had the space I would consider buying up a few vintage 70's games or toys that I remember as like ghost train or haunted house,action man etc.

[darren]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

collecting things can turn into hoarding...........do you hoard?

i sure do.
but i only have things that mean something to me.

[shilton dipper]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

im not so sure nostalgia ever becomes unhealthy.
whats wrong with watching,playing the same games you did as a kid.

what is really wrong with thinking of and remembering your earlier days.
remembering back makes me happy and if thats unhealthy well ill continue to do it.

its only unhealthy if its illegal.

lets be honest as a kid everyrthing you do is adding to your memories.
every day is special as a kid and we should rtreasure those memories.
i just wish id had a diary and wrote everything down.

and i also surround myself in nostalgia wuith things i collect.

collecting things can turn into hoarding...........do you hoard?

[darren]

Re: When does nostalgia become unhealthy

hi mate.

thing is only remember the good memories.
to be honest i dont see why you should let it go as its gone.
there are going to be many more good than bad.

Lots of peoples lives are unsettled but i doubt very much it makes all of them think of there younger days as a kid and get nostalgic.
to me nostalgia is a good thing it reminds us of happpy times as a kid when life was much simpler and u had not a care in the world.

Me i still watch tv shows i watched when i was very young and im not ashammed to like them.
shows like he man she ra, follyfoot huckleberry finn etc.

If you like nostalgia battyrat and you are interested in it let no one tell you forget about it move on its important to you so enjoy it.

I don't really know when it becomes unhealthy,but guess when it impacts on your life now.Don't forget that nostalgia is simply a longing or wanting for something that has been in our past lives.It can also be a bad thing if some memories are not all that good.

I don't think I was that nostalgic in my late teens or early twentys apart from the odd conversation with mates over watch with mother down the pub.In fact I was quite forward looking right into my 30's.But now i'm in my mid 40's I tend to look back more and more.I think the feeling of nostalgia gets stronger when things in my life tend to get more unsettled or unpredictable,so it could be a way of finding just a little bit of comfort in an uncertain world.

Often I am told what's gone is gone,and to let go over certain things.And certainly some things are best left in the past...but the thing with nostalgia is that you tend to explore them all eventually.Sometimes it's a case of looking back remembering something then asking where did I go wrong or why did I enjoy doing this or that,or just developing a small smile when you see an old friend a toy you havn't seen in donkey years.

The thing is I have started to collect some of the childrens dramas I remember as a child on dvd.Even started recently looking at the toy shelves in charity shops for toys and games I can remember as a kid.Not purchased any toys or games yet...but the urge is very strong at times.Even old copys of tv listings and comics seem interesting to me now where as 10 years ago they would not of even stirred interest at all.I even now have a feeling that I need to go through old photographs to look for any toy that seems to have got caught accidently in the field of view to see if they jog any memories.Perhaps that is taking things a bit too far I don't know.Any way since joining this forum I have got more interested in my past and certain programs,toys,sweets,etc.I often wonder if it's worth trying to write down things that I remember from time to time to keep a record of it.I think as you get older memories do start to surface of your childhood and youth.It may just be a natural process going on.