World Mental Health Awareness Day

How movies can positively impact our mental health

Settling down for the evening, flicking through Netflix and watching a movie for many of us is a great way to unwind after a stressful day at work… but what if I told you that TV and film also have the amazing power to affect your overall mental health in a positive way?

With it recently being World Mental Health Awareness Day, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at some of the benefits of watching your favourite flicks has on your overall well-being and why reaching for the remote might not be such a bad thing.

Escapism

Films have the incredible power to transport us to other worlds, walk in other people’s shoes and even inspire change. Life can be stressful and sometimes all we need is a temporary escape from it all, just a couple of hours to ourselves where we don’t have to think about what we need to do or accomplish. Movies provide a break from the reality of the world, allowing us to immerse ourselves in captivating stories, characters, and the wonder of cinema!

Stress Reduction

We have all been there. Looking through Netflix & Disney Plus seeing all the new films and series that are out, thinking I should really give these a watch but we never do. In the end, we ignore them all and pick the movie we have seen at least 100 times before. Why is this? Well, watching shows we enjoy can trigger the release of endorphins (our natural mood lifters) which may explain why we love re-watching old classics from our childhood – we get transported to how we felt when we first watched them and we get a huge rush of nostalgia. This helps to reduce stress and promote relaxation, creating temporary relief from anxiety and tension.

Social Connection

Watching movies can be a great social activity too! Whether it’s with family, friends or even strangers at the cinema. Sharing a film helps people to connect and opens up new areas of discussion. There may be a tricky work colleague or a new flatmate you are struggling to connect and create a conversation with. Starting up a discussion about why you thought the latest blockbuster was rubbish/amazing may help bring down those walls and help you find some common ground. This could lead to new friendships blossoming and even open up your diary to new social clubs and events.

Discussing Important Topics

Film and TV often tackle subject matter that many of us struggle to talk about and steer well clear of. Often these are the subjects we need to talk about and discuss openly. Movies can help us to engage in these types of discussions and encourage open conversations with close ones about our own mental health issues and help to reduce the stigma surrounding them. Most of the time the hardest part is opening up to someone, and we believe film and TV can help give you the impetus and confidence to do so.

In short, movies have the amazing capacity to support individuals going through tricky mental health challenges. They can provide escapism, inspiration and social connection. It’s important to recognise the power of films and their impact on people’s overall well-being and happiness. We feel it’s so important to take the time to yourself to relax and have a break from our busy lives to enjoy a good film.

Mental health is important and it’s okay not to be okay.

Samaritan – 116 123
Shout 85258 – Text 85258
Anxiety UK – 03444 775 774
Mind – 0300 123 3393