47 Movies That Helped People Cope During Depression

[ER]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jamiejones/movies-that-helped-people-cope-during-depression#.wa1DbZZxdO

[JaseSF]

An everyday battle it seems...one I find myself enduring these days...

[javakoala]

At the risk of sounding like a drama queen, I have said, and will continue to say, without cinema, I think I would have stepped off this planet a number of years ago. Not any single film, but film in general.

Until I had a serious emotional breakdown at work (Heaven help me, I'm still working at the same place) and was taken to a therapist by my supervisor (which is against the rules, but this woman saved my life by doing what was right), I had no idea what had been plaguing me since childhood: Depression stemming from ADD and OCD, both of which I had no idea I had but once explained to me (after testing highly for both) brought my whole life into a realm that I could understand.

Unfortunately, depression is similar to alcoholism in that you have to take it one day at a time. Some days, you just don't have the strength, and you feel it pulling you down. Lately, I haven't had much in the way of strength. I've given up on just about everything in which I used to find escape and/or comfort (video games, reading, writing, relationships, photo editing). Hell, I don't even leave my apartment except for work and when I am out of food and get tired of paying for delivery pizza.

Even though I don't feel like it sometimes, I make myself sit down and watch a movie. While it doesn't necessarily cheer me up, my brain and thoughts turn away from myself and latch on to the movie. I take in the images; I watch for flubs or the occasional scene that leaves me amazed (good or bad ); I take the story apart and consider how well it holds together. Basically, it gives me something to focus on other than myself for a while.

I've gone back to writing for my blog as a way to both remember the films I'm watching and to extend that focus outside myself.

Since all I really feel comfortable talking about is cinema (usually crappy, weird cinema), I get patronized by the people from work I talk to. I just get comments from them like "Oh wow" or "That's weird" and nothing else. Being the passive-aggressive person I am, I was responding with "I know you really don't care about what I'm talking about, but thanks for playing along." When no one made even a feeble attempt to "correct" me, I just quit talking at work.

So, I have come back to this forum. At least here, I may be preaching to the choir while talking about movies, but I know the "Amen" I get back is sincere, and usually followed by a recommendation of another weird film I might want to see.

Thank you all for being here and for being weird, like me. 

[Raffine]

As another poster who regularly disappears from this board for months on end only to return and feel as welcomed as ever let me say: "Welcome back, Buddy!". Hope you're in a good spot these days.

I suggest going to see that new Star Wars movie. I went at a 10 am showing on a Monday to ensure they'd only be one or two other people there - but that's my thing. I bet you'll laugh like I did when (SPOILER?) a character takes off a tightly fitted mask and helmet only to reveal yards of perfectly coiffed 80's Mall Hair under all that sweaty looking metal and leather. And it happens twice in the movie. Ho ho.

[voltron]

How about Return Of The Living Dead? Total f**king blast which always cheers me up. Microwave Massacre too. 

[indianasmith]

Welcome back, Java.  You'll always have a home here.

[javakoala]

Welcome back, Java.  You'll always have a home here.

I'm gonna hold you to that once everyone finds the boogers I've wiped on the underside of the couch cushions and realize the true nature of the floating piece of brown "coral" in the fish tank. 

[HappyGilmore]

#3.) Silver Linings Playbook: I'm literally the Bradley Cooper character.  It's so depressing.   

[Trevor]

Welcome back, Java.  You'll always have a home here.

I'm gonna hold you to that once everyone finds the boogers I've wiped on the underside of the couch cushions and realize the true nature of the floating piece of brown "coral" in the fish tank. 

[Trevor]

Even though I don't feel like it sometimes, I make myself sit down and watch a movie. While it doesn't necessarily cheer me up, my brain and thoughts turn away from myself and latch on to the movie. I take in the images; I watch for flubs or the occasional scene that leaves me amazed (good or bad ); I take the story apart and consider how well it holds together. Basically, it gives me something to focus on other than myself for a while.

That is very much what I do: I get terribly lonely and depressed sometimes - especially when I'm on leave and when my work closes for Christmas and New Year - and films take me out of where I am.