1. It revitalizes us
As a journey of relaxation, disconnection, good time, and new perspectives for our inner vision, many films are a time to give us mental rest, and at the same time, an exercise in positive visualization through images that make it easy for us too when we see ourselves in new situations or when facing changes.
2. It exposes us to our fears
Many times, the viewing of a specific scene or movie makes us face our greatest fears and exposes us to our sensations, allowing us to be more aware of them and be able to work to extinguish them.
3. It helps us to better focus our problems
Some movies make us see the light in the face of a problem by seeing ourselves reflected in the character or the circumstances that unfold. When we identify with a character who has the same problems, our empathy increases and we assimilate his personal evolution much better. In this way, during the story, we can learn a lot about the character’s decision-making process and his difficulties.
4. It has a cathartic function
According to Aristotle, catharsis is “the ability of tragedy to relieve the viewer of their own low passions by seeing them projected on the characters in the play.” When we watch a movie, we often experience these passions together with the characters, but without fear of suffering their true effects. Violent movies, catastrophic scenarios, terror, action, adventures to the limit… they are all stories that cause us a great emotional discharge and vent us on many occasions in our daily lives.
5. It relaxes us
The cinema relaxes us because it distracts us by redirecting our attention to an external activity and therefore reduces our levels of anxiety and stress. All genres of film or television become powerful distractors with different stories and scenarios that, if well focused (and in a balanced way), can have a great relaxing value.
6. It motivates us
Many films motivate us to achieve some goal, due to the strength of their characters, due to the energy with which the director proposes the story, due to his music, his scenes, his script… The cinema generates emotions in the viewer and many times they are emotions so powerful that they fill us with energy and help us take steps towards our life goals.
7. It makes us laugh
The power of laughter on our physical and mental health is undeniable. In this aspect, the cinema has become in our current society one of the greatest sources of “laughter”, therefore, what better therapy than watching a humorous movie or series and verifying its benefits.
8. It makes us cry
Movies can also generate negative emotions like sadness, pain or depression, and these stories come from where our emotions are most fully expressed, we even cry, and where we come into contact with those closest to us.
9. It helps us rethink our negative attitudes
Many movies give us different perspectives, we feel identified with the character, we get into his skin, we go through his evolution throughout history. These stories help us rethink our cognitive approach by rethinking irrational thoughts and changing our attitudes.
10. Develop our creativity
Movies also give us very different visions of our reality and of our mental schemes that help us to enrich ourselves intellectually, to be more flexible, or to gain perspective and imagination. All elements necessary for a healthy creativity
11. Increase and improve our relationships
Not to mention the collateral benefits of movies and series, meeting friends to watch a series, skipping movies, or talking intensely about movie buff points of view, controversies, reflections… all this has a social and emotional value that always brings us benefits.
12. It inspires us to reflect strongly
As audiovisual formats allow us to create imaginary, historical or recorded scenes, many films make us reflect on important, spiritual and existential issues. Reflection increases our critical thinking by rethinking personal attitudes.
13. Help us in loss
In moments of heartbreak, paradoxically we watch movies of heartbreak, seeking to wallow in our pain. In a balanced way, these viewings are part of the grieving process, facing the loss and recognizing it.
14. It lifts us up
The elevation is what we feel when we witness something that amazes, moves or inspires us, particularly when it is an admirable action on the part of a person. Witnessing the greatness of other people through film inspires us to try to do something similar, to be better, and even to take steps to change our lives or unlock our attitudes. When we think of elevation, we think of the moments when we feel proud to belong to the human race.
15. It makes us aware of our psychological strengths.
Many of the great characters in the world of cinema show one or more of these psychological strengths throughout history and we as viewers immediately appreciate and admire these qualities, helping us to be aware of our strengths and their value for a life full of wholeness and fulfillment.
FILMOTHERAPY, 15 BENEFITS OF CINEMA IN THERAPY
To better understand the benefits of film therapy, we propose an interesting article that we wrote for the Spanish Association of Cognitive-Behavioral Clinical Psychology and that reflects very well this rich relationship between cinema and psychology (More about the article here ):
- Every time we watch a movie or series, we enjoy (often unconsciously) the wonderful psychological benefits of movies. Who hasn’t been moved by a movie that helps them change their outlook on life? Or do you always have a scene in your head that helps you understand some part of your life? Or do you remember that comedy that rescued you in times of crisis?
