I find comfort in watching kids’ shows. Seeing the same episodes with the same characters I used to be obsessed with sends a wave of nostalgia through me, providing a sense of comfort and calm.
Nostalgia releases dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good. The satisfaction of being reminded of positive emotions that are connected with visual and auditory memories creates dopamine. When your brain connects a show or movie with these feelings and the “feel-good” of dopamine, you will become more likely to want to watch it again.
Nostalgia is typically triggered by sensory stimuli. This happens when anything from a conversation to a scene from a movie triggers a memory, good or bad. Healthline says that the stimulation through any visual, tactile, gustatory, auditory, and olfactory activities can cause nostalgia to occur. In the case of TV, it would be visual and auditory.
The psychological effect of dopamine can be caused by emotions that are influenced by what you are watching such as fear, sadness, joy, etc. These feelings are what cause people to go back and re-watch things. Those desired feelings are what draw people back to shows or movies of their past.
TV can be an excellent distraction from reality and a form of entertainment. There are so many things you can learn from informational programs or documentaries. You can also see what other people’s lives are like in different areas of the United States and the world. Children’s shows frequently have many hidden or non-hidden educational moments or themes, some of which I still can clearly recall to this day. Although educational programs are always will have a positive role in kids’ lives, entertainment and joy are what I love most about kids’ shows.
Nostalgia is a very significant result of watching television beginning at such a young age. According to Today, nostalgia can provide a sense of security, for watching something you viewed often when you were young can bring comfort and reminders of a simpler time which can put the mind at ease. People feel connected to the shows or movies that they have enjoyed for a long time and this can be a great escape from the real world. This connection creates an emotional attachment to movies and TV shows, everyone has these attachments.
For me, Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse played a big role in my childhood. It wasn’t because it was influential or educational, it’s because of the emotional attachment that was created. I had spent so much of my time watching and rewatching every episode that it became a “happy place.” Watching it alone or with friends was always such a positive way to spend my time, now I look back at it and remember the easier times of childhood. Opening up Netflix and pressing play provides shelter from all the struggles of high school and life and transports me into the world of Barbie.
Having positive memories that are connected to something that can be replayed is very valuable. Those upbeat memories can lead to a happier future that can be even further uplifted by replaying a TV show or movie.
My favorite shows from when I was younger are Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, Liv and Maddie, My Little Pony, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
What are yours?
