E-Paper
Why does nostalgia hit harder as we get older? A psychotherapist explains the emotional pull of the past
Prefer HTon Google
From childhood songs to old photographs, a psychotherapist explains why we keep returning to memories of the past and what nostalgia does to our emotions.
A random song from 2009 plays in a cab, and suddenly you're 17 again, transported to the past, chest tight, for reasons the song itself barely explains. Nostalgia rarely announces itself gently, as it tends to arrive uninvited and hit far harder than the memory logically deserves, and that intensity only seems to grow as the years pass. In this edition of ‘The Psychology of Everyday Life ', HT Lifestyle spoke to Dr Chandni Tugnait, MD, psychotherapist, life alchemist, coach and healer, founder and director of Gateway of Healing.
Also read | Think therapy is only for a crisis? Psychotherapist debunks common myths Indians still believe
Youth gets recorded more vividly
Dr Chandni highlighted that memories formed during the teenage years and early 20s are encoded with unusual clarity compared to almost any other period of life, largely because this is when you are still building your identity. As more years pile up after that window closes, that especially vivid stretch keeps standing out in sharp contrast against everything that follows, which is why it keeps resurfacing so strongly decades later.
Stress makes nostalgia useful
“People reach for nostalgic memories more often during periods of loneliness, boredom, or general difficulty, since revisiting a warm memory genuinely improves mood in the moment,” highlighted Dr Chandni. As adult life accumulates more responsibility and complexity with age, there are simply more difficult days that quietly send people searching backward for comfort.
The past keeps getting rewritten
“Nostalgia isn't a perfect replay of what actually happened,” said Dr Chandni. With each passing year, old memories get quietly reshaped to fit the story someone currently wants to tell about who they've become. That editing process intensifies with age, which is part of why older memories can feel more meaningful now than they did closer to when they actually occurred.
More years means more triggers
According to Dr Chandni, a particular song, smell, or street corner can only pull you back if enough time has passed for it to become attached to something meaningful. Simply by living longer, people accumulate a steadily growing catalogue of these sensory landmines, which is why nostalgic moments seem to ambush people more often the older they get.
“None of this means dwelling on the past is unhealthy. Nostalgia, used well, tends to leave people feeling more connected to who they are, not less. It just gets louder with time, because there's simply more of your own history left to bump into,” concluded Dr Chandni.
Note for the readers: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice. Please consult a qualified expert for personalised guidance.
