What is quarantine nostalgia and why are we reluctantly missing out on lockdown?

We can all agree that 2020 was not a good time. Whether you were excited about the idea of ​​staying at home or missing out on your social life, we all had a sense of doom that definitely made life hard to enjoy. However, we often only miss things after they’re gone, and that seems to be very true of quarantine. In short, quarantine nostalgia misses the times of lockdown. No, it doesn’t mean that you miss the fear and sadness of yesteryear, but that people miss their leisurely lifestyle and irresponsibility.

It may feel strange to long for a painful time for the world, especially with the millions who have died from COVID. However, according to Micheline Maalouf, a trauma-informed counselor, these feelings are perfectly normal and even expected. She told Bustle that it was the first-ever time many of us felt okay with doing nothing during lockdown and it’s probably a moment we’ll never come back.

If you’re feeling a little guilty about missing quarantine, you’re not alone — just look at the many people suffering from quarantine nostalgia.