Retro tv is good for the soul

Extra.ie​

2 days ago

How many of us can instantly recognise a character or a theme tune from a tv show we used to watch as kids and feel all warm and fuzzy inside?
Depending on what era of television you grew up with, your memories of childhood tv will be different from others, and what you find comforting will also differ from friends and colleagues, depending on their own individual memories of when they first watched the shows.
But television as a type of therapeutic comfort is becoming more and more of a thing, with the increasing stress of just day to day living, its nice to switch on, and just switch off. Pic: Getty Images
There have been many studies done on the effects of television on our wellbeing, and Will Meyerhofer, a New York-based psychotherapist and author, says watching our favourite old shows can be a useful tool for dealing with anxiety and mild depression.
These old shows are like the food we grew up with, like 'The Brady Bunch' or 'The Little House on the Prairie' for all of us 70s kids, or for younger people, those who grew up in the 80's and 90's shows like 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' and 'Friends' are like a warm blanket on a cold day. The Brady Bunch – Mandatory Credit: Photo by Paramount/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock (5873048d)
Think back to when you were 11 or 12 years old, what were the shows you watched then, the one show you looked forward to every week, because try telling todays 11 or 12 year old's that you had to wait a whole week for the next episode of 'Dallas' and they would think you were stone mad. What do you mean you couldn't just stream it?
Like a bowl of hot soup on a winters day, a nostalgic tv show from our youth can serve as a lovely reminder of the days when we didn't have much to worry about really, in comparison to our adult lives. FRIENDS – (Photo by Reisig & Taylor/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
A recent Facebook post on 'The Mighty' health community got hundreds of responses to the question: 'What TV show from your childhood would you want to marathon-watch on a bad day?' The answers ranged from 'The Waltons' to 'Barney Miller.' (I had to look that one up)
It's very simple when we think about it, television from yesteryear can make us feel safe and secure in a world that feels increasingly chaotic.
Back to Dr. Meyerhofer for a moment, he explains that 'In therapy terms, it's an instant, and for the most part healthy regression in the service of the ego,' adding that he unwinds with old episodes of 'Star Trek The Next Generation.' Beverly Hills, 90210. Pic: mikel roberts/Sygma via Getty Images
Another expert in nostalgia research is Krystine Batcho, who is a licensed psychologist and a professor at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. She says watching our favorite old TV shows satisfies our 'nostalgic need' and packs real emotional benefits.
According to Professor Batcho, 'When people are stressed, or anxious, or feeling out of control, nostalgia helps calm them down'.
Re-watching 'Friends' or 'Beverly Hills 90210' can literally 'bring back memories and feelings of the friends you had back then and the fun times you had together,' she said. Home and Away – Photo: Seven Network.
And, if we're with new friends, either in person or on social media, chatting about our fondness for these old programmes can make us feel connected, and some parents have even started bonding with their kids by watching retro tv shows together.
For a moment, step back into the old days when we had just one or maybe two channels, when we had to wait for our favourite show to start, we had no way to record it, just memorise it, and wait a full week to 'see what happens' in the next episode. And it didn't do us any harm at all.