"As we grow older we tend to take ourselves too seriously and forget how much fun it is to fool around and enjoy a simple life. "
You got me with your first sentence. It's so true. There's a book by Charlie Hoehn - he cured his anxieties and depression with simply starting to implement acts of "play" again into his life. Indeed I believe connecting to that inner child again is a profound way of "healing" - instead of taking pills for the quick-fix.
A quick fix never addresses the root cause. It only sweeps it under the rug until it's too big to stay hidden and took a toll on you.