Who knew that watching sad movies can actually make you happy? Well, I knew that, because I watch them all the time! Read on to learn why...
Anytime I recommend a movie to my Mom she asks the same question. "Does it have a happy ending?" She will not watch the movie unless I tell her how it ends. She simply does not want to watch sad movies. Ever! Even though the movie was amazingly directed, or has great acting. I cannot understand that because I love sad movies.
I love to watch sad movies when I'm happy, and even more so when I'm upset. It sounds weird, I know. A couple of months ago after yet another discussion of why I enjoy watching sad movies and getting the same "what is wrong with you?" look from a friend, I decided to do some research on the subject. "Surely I am not some kind of weirdo?" I thought. "I cannot be the only person out there like this!"
It only took a minute of Googling to find that there are actual scientific studies on this subject! These studies show what I've known all along to be true, that watching sad movies actually makes you happy.
"Researchers at Oxford University say that watching traumatic films boosts feelings of group bonding, as well as increasing pain tolerance by upping levels of feel-good, pain-killing chemicals produced in the brain."
So watching sad movies is kind of like a drug...very interesting! But how does it work?
“The argument here is that actually, maybe the emotional wringing you get from tragedy triggers the endorphin system,” said Robin Dunbar, a co-author of the study and professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford.
So basically, when you are sad, your brain sends the opposite hormones to make you feel better. Which results in being you being happy and relieved.
You can read the article here: Here
Watching Sad Movies Helps you Reflect on Your Life
I wrote a prior post about how I get over fights quickly with my Husband. You can read it here. In the post I describe how I used to stay angry for days over a fight but I found that watching sad movies helps put how insignificant the fight was in perspective, and afterwards I am no longer mad.
There's nothing like watching pure tradegy unfold for you to reflect on what is making you sad. When you watch a sad movie, you can get over things quicker, and get back to what's really important!
In an article from Time:
Showing an abridged version of Atonement, the 2007 flick depicting two war-torn lovers who fall victim to casualties of conflict, to an audience of 361 college students, the team monitored responses before, during and after the screening. Students were asked a series of questions measuring their happiness as well as rating the emotions they were feeling throughout the film. The findings conclude that people are suckers for fictional heartbreak because it evokes self-reflection and assessment, and ultimately leads to more positive attitudes about life after the movie ends. I kind of laughed when I was doing research for this post, because Atonement is one of my go to sad movies to watch when I want to feel better and I mentioned it before! I enjoy watching sad movies because it allows me to reflect on my life and my emotions in a controlled setting. So the next time you feel sad about your relationship or about the crypto market, or anything else, try watching a sad movie to make you feel better!
My Other Go To Sad Movies to Watch
So...What About You?
Do you watch sad movies to make you happier? Or do you only enjoy watching happy movies? What are your favorite sad movies to watch? I am always looking for new movies to watch, suggest them in the comment section below! I am always looking to meet new Steemians! I look forward to connecting with you! Steem on!
Yo Emmy, this article had me laughing my ass off!
The title is just hillarious, so that got me started. Reading it only made me laugh even more. But then I realized that at that exact moment (as I was scrolling through Steemit on my phone), that I was myself, literally, watching a really sad movie...that was getting worse by the minute. I just finished The Big Sick on Amazon and it was gut-wrenching (I got choked up more than once), but it started out so sweet! And I didn't even see it coming, at all. (Seriously though awesome movie.) And then I got to thinking that damn, I had to admit to myself...(oh no!) I really like sad movies too. aaahhhh! Could this really be happening to me? And yes, the realization sunk in further as I thought back to earlier this week as I watched the Incredible Jessica James, which had me in tears...of joy, lol. Seriously though I was a little teary. And then it hit me, one of my favorite movies pf all time is (damn, this really is happening)...Leaving Las Vegas with Nicholas Cage and Elizaebth Shoe...
And with this new awarenss, I'm going to learn how to see things a little differently from now on. So perhaps I'll have to reflect a little bit more on the subject and try to remember what other sad movies I've enjoyed, but my suspicion is that it's lot.
As for my favorites films 1) Waking Life 2) Silver Lining's Playbook 3) Style Wars 4) Blade Runner (original) 5) the Usual Suspects.
And on your list of favorite sad movies, Meet Joe Black is a really good one to.
Anyways thanks for the fun (and thought-provoking:) read, you gots style. ;)
I havent watched The Big Sick or the Incredible Jessica James, Im going to have to add those to my list to watch! Meet Joe Black is one of my favorite movies ever... I actually walked down the aisle to the soundtrack at my wedding, haha. When my Mother asked me where the song was from... I said "its from Meet Joe Black, when Anthony Hopkins dies at the end" She looked at me like I was insane...LOL
Big Sick was a great one. I never knew until the end of the movie that was really his and his wifes story.
Yea, I loved it. They had such great chemistry. :)
I think I was partly aware of it, because the description on Amazon mentions it. But it didn't really sink in until the credits at the end when they show his real wife's picture.
OMG, that's too much! :) I think your mother maybe right about you though... hehehe. My favorite scene from that is when they're in the hospital and he has a conversation with the woman in the wheel chair and he talks in that (perfectly delivered) island dialect, it's soooo good.
And have you seen Silver Linings? If not please add that to you list too! It kills me every time I watch it (ever after a dozen views:)
I havent seen Silver Linings, ill have to add that to my list too :) Yeah, thats one of my favorite Meet Joe Black scenes too!
Oh, I love sad movies too ... but I don't watch them often because 1) I always cry and then Matt wants to know why I'm crying ... and even then he doesn't always understand ;) 2) I brood too much afterward. I tend to be introspective and empathetic so I put myself in the main character's place, imagine what it would've felt like ... I basically relive the whole thing over but in day-to-day life. Like PS I Love You. I wasn't married when I watched it but for days after, I imagined what I would do in that situation...
Okay, I'll end my book comment now ;) but I'm going to go watch the others on your list :D And I'm going to tell myself that I should feel happy afterward ... studies say so! And we'll see what happens LOL
Haha, Brad actually knows how weird I am already, so he doesn't question why Im watching a sad movie, LOL. I am empathetic too, I also put myself in the characters shoes but I think thats what makes me feel better at the end of it, since I get the relief after that its not real. By the way, my little sister arrived in KL today to visit my family over there and she keeps posting pics of the food :( I am super jealous. Someday I shall visit!
Ahhhh! That’s so cool! When you do come, let’s have a Steem meetup! We’ll get some good food and beer and talk Steem 😃 and we can go watch a sad movie together :P
Sounds like a plan to me!! :)
Nice your post
Well.. sad movies make me even more sad.. the Schindler’s List is one of my top sad movies of all time...
I am usually more interested in watching thrillers that screw up my mind big time...🤩
Haha, Yeah, Shindler's list is TOO sad to watch for me. I do have a limit, haha! I also like thrillers, and actually my favorite movies are Christopher Nolan's :) Interstellar, the prestige...and of course inception :)
Get out of here.. really??? No wayy.. because those are my favourite movies too. Normally, the title of “the most favourite movie” keeps changing for everyone with time but if anyone asks me that question, My answer is always “Inception”.
Dicaprio and Christopher Nolan’s mix is always the best...
^_^
Yeah I love movies that have to do with messing around with time, inception is awesome...but my favorite is Interstellar! I hope he starts making those types of movies again :)
Hopefully we will see a nolan movie soon. He puts his heart and mind in the movie he makes. Thats why they are always a hit..
Another great post and perspective #emmyem84!
For me I don't go out of my way to deliberately view sad movies, but as they unfold, I acknowledge and look at the sadness within me that is triggered and seek a deeper understanding of it.
It is an inner journey of uncovering what is true for me!
In his groundbreaking work, Eckhart Tolle describes the Pain Body and guess what the Pain Body thrives on? Pain!!!
Thanks so much for stopping by @cause-no-harm and for your thoughtful comment :)
Everyone has their own interest, someone like horror movies , someone like action and someone like sad movies . I think result are same it reduces our stress and fell better specially in crypto down
@emmyem84 - Marley and Me and the first 30 minutes of Up are legitimate tear jerkers.
Yeah, Marley and Me...that is a real tear jerker! Ugh!
I always know I watched a good movie when it can really change your mood or make you feel a certain way. While I didn't like the movie, one of the most depressing movies I've ever watched was "Requem for a Dream". Really disturbing and I've never watched it since the first time I saw it but a really powerful movie.
More recently I watched 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, really good movie, both funny and serious at the same time. One of the best movies I've seen in a while.
Yeah Ive only seen Requiem once...and that was enough..haha. Ill have to check out the other one you mentioned!
yeah not one of my favorite movies by any means but just in terms of a movie that can move your emotions i found that one to be very powerful. definitely checkout 3 billboards
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