Greetings, my friends! Welcome back to another post about mental wellness! Yours and mine 🙂
So, from last week’s post, music is not the only form of entertainment that can have a positive effect on your mind, body, and overall health. It turns out television, film, and theatre can also have positive effects on our psyches. See last week’s post below:
I cannot think of anyone who doesn’t have a TV set in their house. And technology has gotten us to a point that we can view just about anything at anytime now, even on our computers and phones. With the advent of YouTube, streaming services, and yes, still cable, we have the visuals at our fingertips, so to speak.
And because I have a theatrical background, I most certainly cannot discount the positive benefits of live theatre.
One could argue that too much TV watching can be detrimental to you in some way. But I shall only discuss how it can keep you and help you to remain calm, stay sane, get your mind off things, and literally take you to another world. (Speaking of, anybody remember the old soap opera of the same name???) Ha!
Anything involving the arts SHOULD transport you to another world. Whenever I watch something, whether it is live theatre or a movie or TV show, I expect to be transported to another time and place. I expect to be told a story, to be lost in the moment. I desire to forget all about MY life, my struggles and troubles. I want to see their struggles and troubles. I don’t need to be reminded of mine. LOL But TV and film can do much more for us than that.
Educational
Yes, television and the movies can be quite educational. And anything that educates us, definitely improves our minds. TV and film can take us into worlds that we didn’t know existed, can show us different cultures and countries, languages, and how other people live. TV and film can also give us insights into our own bodies and how they work and about diseases and disease prevention. Television can even simply show us how to do mundane tasks and chores effectively.
Shocker of shockers, but you can even learn from watching soap operas. Back during the Golden Age of Soaps – the 60’s, 70s, 80s and 90s – viewers learned about diseases such as breast cancer, diabetes, HIV and AIDS, and even mental disorders, including depression, suicidal ideation, bipolar disorder, and even DID (dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder). Viewers also gained insight into socially relevant issues pertaining to drug and alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, prostitution, and even the negative effects of smoking.
Of course, other daytime television programs such as talk shows, gave us an even deeper dive into the above subjects with real people. So, here’s to Phil Donahue, Oprah Winfrey, Geraldo, and Sally Jessy Raphael (loved her glasses!!!) and Montel Williams, to name a few. And yes, I went old school LOL
Honorable mention to educational channels, such as The Discovery Channel, Planet Earth, and The History Channel. And shoot, I love a good documentary about famous and well, infamous people, too.
But let’s not ever forget the fabulous PBS channel, and old school shows such as Sesame Street, The Electric Company, and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, to name a few. These shows taught you your ABCs, your numbers, and different languages such as Spanish. They taught us grammar skills and even taught us how to get along better with our neighbors and how to appreciate their differences. Hey, I grew up on those shows and learned quite a lot!
Total escapism
Naturally, most of us watch television and movies for simple pure escapism. But that’s okay, because that is great for our minds, too. As I stated above, this pure escapism can relax our bodies and minds, getting our minds off our own problems and bringing us into a total state of a healthier being. And what great way to do that than to laugh. That’s right. Your fave comedies can promote happiness and good health, because as they say laughter is the best medicine. And laughing releases natural endorphins or your feel-good chemicals, which can promote not only a healthier brain, but a healthier heart, too. So, tune into your favorite comedies and laugh it up! If this clip from I Love Lucy doesn’t make you laugh, then there is something wrong with you!!!
Become an actor in YOUR favorite show!
One thing I have done my ENTIRE life is pretend I am certain characters on TV or in the movies. I have acted out many scenarios, especially my soaps, to see if I can do it and be just as convincing as what I see on TV. Or to see what acting choices I would make in the same situations. Sometimes I turn it into a masterclass of emotions, i.e. will I cry in the moment, get angry, etc.
And playing or pretend is great for the mind since it enables you to use your imagination and creativity. And it is loads of fun! I started way back with The Bionic Woman, Charlie’s Angels, and Wonder Woman! Yep, I was Jaime Sommers, Kelly Garrett, and Diana Prince twirling, et al! LOL And I even made the neighborhood kids act out the episodes right after they aired. Oh tremendous, TREMENDOUS fun! I should have known I would later turn to acting and directing 🙂
Ain’t Nothing Like Live Theatre
I got my acting start doing theatre, and it was the best training ground EVER! I mean, other than acting along with the TV! Delving into different characters, the audience response, and the flying by the seat of my pants was actually excellent for my mind and brain. I developed skills which kept my mind sharp and active. After all, you are having to learn lines and deliver them on the spot from memory. And if you go up on a line, you have to figure a way out of that jam!
But from the audience’s perspective, visual arts and aesthetics is a great moodlifter, too. Not to mention you are immersing yourself in culture, while at the same time still learning something perhaps you had no prior knowledge of, the same way television can work towards educating you.
You gain a greater appreciation for the arts, I think, through attending theatre and other visual arts shows. And anything that promotes a greater understanding, is great for your brain, too.
And then there is the laughter! There is nothing like live laughter from the audience. And it’s real, not canned laughter like you get from some TV shows! And overall, of course, laughter is great for your health.
One of the Family
When I think back on the shows that have changed my life or that I have really gotten into, I think of the ones where I feel like I am a part of that TV family. Soaps are the perfect example of this. Watching my “stories” gave me insight into someone else’s melodramatic life LOL And I literally grew up with so many soap characters, I mean we are talking DECADES of time watching children who were born on the show, watching them grow into children, teens, and even adults! That is mindblowing to me!
And all of my primetime shows I grew up watching – The Brady Bunch, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, et al – just watching the characters and their antics was highly entertaining and very funny. And speaking of The Brady Bunch. It was like I was a member of the family, going through all of their shenanigans, troubles, heartaches, joy and fun. When they were lost in the Grand Canyon, I was lost in the Grand Canyon, too!!
So, I am also saying you feel a sense of belonging with your TV family. And anytime you feel like you are a part of something, that you belong, definitely promotes good mental health and wellbeing.
Stress Relief
Film. Television. Visual arts. Theatre. All of those are wonderful stress relievers. Whether you are the actor or the audience, you are allowing whatever stresses you out, whatever horrors are on your mind, it gives you a moment and space to let it go. You are suspended in time for 30 minutes to an hour or two hours or more. You are not thinking about your problems, your job, your finances, your relationships. You are entering someone’s world.
Inspiration
I think anything that inspires you in a moving and positive, enthused way is amazing for your mental health. And watching television as a child definitely inspired me to become an actor later in life. I wanted to do the things I saw Jaime Sommers do in The Bionic Woman. Later, it was all about Erika Slezak’s Viki Buchanan on One Life to Live that cemented the deal. I do not regret my decision to become an actor. It has been one of the most thrilling and rewarding things I have ever done, besides my interest in music.
Well, my friends, that is it for now. I hope you enjoyed this post. And as always please be safe and mentally well! Until next time – ta!!
AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER: There are products on this page. By clicking on the links, you will be redirected to that page at no cost to you. However, I will receive compensation if you purchase something (which I hope you do 😊).
Oh and don’t forget to check out my underpriced products below LOL Some great Black Friday sales! 🙂
Sources:
DEREK’S DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional, neither am I giving any medical or legal advice. If you are seeking help from a doctor or an attorney, please consult said professionals. These are my personal thoughts and feelings on the subjects discussed, and my blog is my own personal experiences and journey with mental imbalance. Thanking you in advance!
