Post-Series Depression Syndrome & The Opposite
Have you ever feel empty after watching some movies or series? Yup, post-series depression syndrome might hit you.
It hits me many times.
The syndrome that also known as PSD will makes you feel blue. You don’t know what to do. Suddenly, life’s seems so flat, like you have no purpose anymore after finishing that series/movies.
Kevin Foss, founder of California OCD and Anxiety Treatment Center said that the sadness is due to a connection with the story. We might feel attached, relate, or close with the characters or the story we watch. In addition, psychologist Margaret Rutherford said that watching fictional stories can make our real life feel boring.
To deal with that feeling, most of us will decide to re-watch the shows. In another case, some will look for another show that has the same vibe. Some will also searched for any related things about it such as behind the scenes, the casts interview, etc. The worst case is… they unable to enjoy any other movies/series.
But, have you ever also feel happy instead of sad after finishing some movies/series? That’s the opposite of post series depression syndrome.
I was searching for this term, but I didn’t find it. So, I decided to just call it as post-series (opposite) depression syndrome.
Just like PSD, I also experienced this syndrome many times. Instead of feeling empty, I feel satisfied. Satisfied with the whole story, the ending, everything.
The effect is no different with PSD. I will re-watch the series/movies just to experience the feeling again. I will have this big urge to tell all people to watch that shows, even though I have no one to share it. And the happy effect will affect my daily lives for at least about 3 days. I will find myself doing activities with such a positive energy.
Why do we feel all that emotions just from watching a movies/series?
I think it is because that series/movies help us escape from reality. For about an hour (more or less), we left our real life problems for awhile, only focus on the story.
We feel connected. All the characters emotions reflect to us. Watching the characters grow, we feel close to them. And once the show has ended, you might feel your life’s also end. The reality brought you back, but the emotions are still attached to you.
When that syndrome happens, just enjoy it. Cry as much as you want. Keep up the positive energy for the next couple days. Re-watch the shows whenever you want. Tell everyone that the movies/series you watch are incredible.
Enjoy the feeling, because who knows you might not get that feeling anywhere but from the shows you watched. Those emotions are precious.
