Halloween was just last month, and for many people, this meant indulging in scary movies. Being scared (safely and healthily) is an often enjoyable and cathartic experience for many people. This can also be true for those suffering from anxiety.
What many people do not know is that scary movies can also help to aid those people suffering from anxiety. This aid can come in the form of cinema therapy. Cinema therapy can be used as a jumping-off point to engaging in healthy escapism, establishing control, normalizing fear, and building resistance for those suffering from anxiety.
Anxiety and Escapism: Why They Go Hand in Hand
When someone suffers from anxiety, it may be difficult to understand or pinpoint where that anxiety originates. It is for this reason that many with anxiety turn to movies. This is especially true regarding films with a higher level of intensity, such as horror movies.
Horror movies can be a form of escapism for those struggling with anxiety. Instead of facing their issues straight on, it may be easier to drown them in another person’s narrative. While this momentary distraction may be healthy for many, for the individual suffering from anxiety, it can be a form of unhealthy escapism.
However, there is very good news for those that like to “escape” at the movies. Not all escapism is negative. In fact, with the proper therapy, engaging in escapism can aid in treating anxiety.
How Cinema Therapy Can Help
Whether it be generalized anxiety disorder or social anxiety disorder, cinema therapy may be able to help. The idea surrounding the treatment has to do with utilizing the film as a jumping-off point. This jumping-off point can then be used to discuss broader issues surrounding the individual’s anxiety.
So instead of unhealthy individual escapism, the film’s narrative can be used to start a conversation about what is going on under the surface. This therapy can also be used to help someone struggling with anxiety get away from their issues and empathize with various characters they see in the films.
For those movie lovers suffering from anxiety, it may bring solace to know that they do not need to avoid the cinema. In fact, movies can be used to help those with anxiety get better and live a fuller, healthier life.
For those suffering from anxiety, it can sometimes feel like there is no way out. Perhaps this is why many struggling with anxiety disorder look to escape their troubles with distractions like horror movies. But anxiety sufferers no longer have to feel the need to “escape.” There is help. This help may include the very films that were once used as distractions. Cinema therapy is just one of the treatments The Guest House offers. For more information, please call (855) 483-7800.