Avoiding real-world problems to watch old episodes of “iCarly” is actually good for your mental health.
The world is a mess right now. We are in the third year of a global pandemic, in a country more politically divided than ever, and anxiously awaiting to see how the Ukraine conflict will affect the world. In times like these, we need comfort and consistency. Watching the shows you grew up with provides that comfort.
Now while the copious amounts of “Golden Girls” and “Will and Grace” I watch when I’m sad do make me somewhat qualified on the matter, experts in psychology have agreed to this: “When people are stressed, anxious or feeling out of control, nostalgia helps calm them down. It’s comforting. It’s analogous to a hug from your mom or dad or being cuddled,” said Krystine Batcho, a licensed psychologist and professor in an interview with Today.
Nostalgia is a powerful tool and the shows you grew up watching are filled with it. Watching these shows acts as a healthy regression into a younger state and even helps reconnect with old memories and identities.
For me – and probably many others in Generation Z – the old comedy shows from Disney and Nickelodeon dominate my childhood memories. There was hardly a weekend morning where “iCarly,” “Austin & Ally” or “SpongeBob” wasn’t on the living room TV. Watching these shows now, while they are admittedly less funny to me, I feel exactly what Batcho had talked about. It calmed me down and helped me forget all the stress college classes and the pandemic can bring. It made me remember all the happy times where I sat in my living room, snacking and mindlessly enjoying quality programming like “Dog with a Blog.” But most of all it allowed me, for a moment, to escape from worry about grades, classes, a virus or the possibility of World War III.
These experts don’t promote over-binging, warning that it can actually lead to further depression. But controlled binging of comfort TV can benefit anxiety and mild depression. I hope everyone can find one of the shows they grew up watching and taking some time out of their day to enjoy it. It might be the key to helping you relax in a stressful time.
Tracy Mullinax can be reached at [email protected]