Go ahead, binge old movies and jam out to ’ 90s hits

Dr. Libby Torchia’s pandemic breaking point came one morning in

May, when she and her boss got into an argument over whether staff members should wear masks at the Columbus, Ohio, clinic where they worked. (“We should!” Torchia,

32, a veterinarian, said.)

Her colleagues knew just how to comfort her: Blast the Spice Girls hit song “Wannabe.” From the surgical suite where they were about to spay a dog, they broke into a dance party.

“It really helped to bring my focus back, and made me feel a lot happier and just kind of let go of all of the conflict,” Torchia said.

Some people swear by silent breakfasts. Others recommend breathing exercises. For another group of people, the ultimate coping mechanism for political angst and the pandemic is escaping into a world of yesteryear — listening to 1990s hits, watching old films and playing 16- bit video games. When everything has turned upside down, why not go back to a time when the world seemed simpler?

It’s not just Spice Girls and Fleetwood Mac that are having moments. “Jurassic Park” ( 1993), “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” ( 1980), “Hocus Pocus” ( 1993) and “The Goonies” ( 1985) have hit box office charts over the last few months, pulling in thousands of dollars in ticket sales, especially at drive- in screens where social distancing is easier.

“Fast Times at Ridge

The Spice Girls at the MTV Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on Sept. 4, 1997. mont High” ( 1982) dominated an evening’s conversation on Twitter after Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and other celebrities reenacted it in a virtual table reading.

These throwbacks have not had much competition, admittedly, as many major movie studios have delayed releases until next year or later. But people are harking back to old favorites not just because there is nothing else to watch or do. These films and songs offer solace and predictability in a time when each week seems to bring unpleasant surprises.

Research shows that conjuring nostalgia by watching old movies or taking up old hobbies is an effective way to cope with stress and anxiety. It can lift moods, boost confidence and inspire a sense of optimism, said Dr. Wing Yee Cheung, an associate professor in psychology at the University of Winchester in England who studies nostalgia.

“We feel that we have lost footing at the present time, and we gain some comfort by taking a step back and revisiting something that reminds us of a time that we used to feel more connected with other people,” Cheung said.

Torchia, who now works at a different veterinary clinic, said that during the pandemic, she has spent hours listening to the Spice Girls and Britney Spears, favorites from elementary and middle school, because they remind her of times when she felt more hopeful and less isolated from her family.

Distraction has been key for Anna Townsend, a recruiter in Athens, Ga. Overwhelmed with anxiety about the coronavirus, protests in Atlanta, the election and her husband’s recent job loss, she decided to watch less TV news and more vintage comedies. She said she has seen about 40 movies since March, including “Casper” ( 1995), “The Addams Family” ( 1991), “Halloweentown” ( 1998), “Dumb and Dumber” ( 1994) and “Hocus Pocus.”

“It’s something to numb your mind a little bit,” Townsend, 31, said.