Movies to Help You with Depression

Movies to Help You with DepressionMovies not only brighten your mood, some of them also teach you about the various mental health illnesses that people are fighting silently.

by Portia Chamapiwa

16-01-2023 09:12

in Entertainment

Movies to Help You with Depression: Image: Adobe Stock

Movies can be a great way to brighten up your mood. Imagine, it is a dark Thursday night. You just came back from a long and tiring day at work. Your energy seems low. It feels like you have lost your appetite. You just want to hit the bed and sleep for countless hours. Demotivation takes the better of you and the tears rolling down your dull, sunken eyes make you even more anxious.

--

When life seems tough, the evenings seem longer, and everything around looks dark, signing up with a reliable cable like Grande TV and engaging yourself in a nice, lighthearted movie can essentially be a very therapeutic distraction. Singing along to a Disney channel musical, or helping Giselle find her way back to the animated world can actually lift your spirits and help in distracting you from the bitter realities of life.

Movies not only brighten your mood, but some of them also teach you about the various mental health illnesses that people are fighting silently. They teach you the importance of speaking up and talking about your problems and feelings to a therapist who will eventually hold your finger and help you navigate through the various phases of life.

This article, however, will talk about the various heartwarming and lighthearted movies that will awaken your happy hormones and make life beautiful for you all over again.

--

Airplane This film has me in fit every time I take out time to watch it and as clich d as it may sound, laughter is like food for your brain. It can brighten up the conditions in your already dark, depressed brain. Every single aspect of this movie is filled with humor. The one-liners make you laugh uncontrollably and will definitely make you feel better and take you out of the depths of despair.

It's A Wonderful Life This film revolves around an entrepreneur named George Bailey played by James Stuart who makes us realize that we make a difference in the lives of a lot of people we meet daily and that we are surrounded by mighty angels. He also instills in us the positivity that hope is a waking dream and that we must never lose hope, not even in difficult times.

Rocky Okay here's a secret. The Rocky soundtrack always plays in my mind whenever I am sad or feel like giving up. Imagine the kind of positive influence this film has had on me.

--

Despite the numerous devils in my head that tell me to give up, watching Sylvester Stallone endure utter torment with unwavering focus drives me to continue my search for sanity.

Forrest Gump This movie makes you fall in love with it. The main character Forrest Gump played by Tom Hanks wins the hearts of millions. His low IQ doesn't stop him from achieving everything he dedicates his soul and mind to. One thing that he fails at is winning the heart of his childhood crush called Jenny.

The film is packed with wisecracks like Mama always said life is like a box of chocolates and life lessons like anyone can love anyone.

500 Days Of Summer This film dominates the romantic comedy genre. It revolves around a greeting card writer who is devastated after his sudden breakup with his girlfriend. By reminiscing the 500 days of their bond and what caused it to go down the hill, he rediscovers his personality.

The greatest thing about this movie is that it changes your mindset and gives your life a perspective. According to Schiff, the movie helps give perspective. While you could think that things will never get better and that you are hopelessly depressed, this story demonstrates that opportunities for happiness are all around us if we are just willing to seize them.

Little Miss Sunshine This movie narrates the story of an amusingly eccentric family who gets on a bus in order to take their daughter to the Little Miss Sunshine contest. Their dream is to see their beloved daughter participate in the competition.

This movie is like a breath of fresh air that gives you a break from the daily tensions of the world and helps you forget the things and people that make you sad. A comedy with heart, purpose, love, adventure, and innocence, Little Miss Sunshine is a great movie.

A Charlie Brown Christmas If you are a fan of animated movies, well this is the one for you. It is a movie about a young boy named Charlie Brown. He feels gloomy during the holiday season unlike the other kids his age. The main idea of this film is to basically remind us that it is okay to feel low or depressed even during a season that only spreads warm, cozy, and happy feelings.

To empathize with Charlie is to empathize with our own conflicted emotions surrounding the holidays. This movie hence aims to relieve some of the pressure, easing any gloom and difficult emotions, we may be experiencing in relation to the holidays or any other occasion where we are expected to be joyful but may not be.

Wrapping Up Mental health issues are real and dealing with them is a skill in itself. We all face different issues in our daily lives however; combating depression and anxiety can really influence our personality and make us question our existence. To overcome all such feelings, it is always better to consult a therapist and keep the mood light by watching movies and shows that can brighten our lives.

ALSO READ: South Africa-founded stunt team nominated for top SAG Award

SOAPIE QUIZ: How well do you know House of Zwide'? WIN R1 000 in cash!

LINK:	https://www.thesouthafrican.com/culture/entertainment/movies-to-help-y...
	See more stories from thesouthafrican

Most recent headlines