Watching together creates a sense of community, and the plot of the film helps to experience emotions in a safe way.
Cinema and Depression Prevention: British scientists conducted a study. People over 50 who go to the movies at least once a month are significantly less likely to experience depression. The study involved 2,148 men and women. The observation lasted for ten years. At the start, none of them had depression. After a decade, doctors diagnosed depression in 616 participants. Thus, the disease affected almost one in three. The results were published in the scientific journal British Journal of Psychiatry. This is an authoritative British publication in the field of psychiatry.
Researchers analyzed the lifestyle of the participants. In particular, they studied leisure habits and social activity.
It turned out that people who developed depression rarely visited the cinema or theater. In contrast, participants who bought a ticket at least once a month reduced their risk of illness by almost 50%.
Moreover, the scientists noted an important detail: it is about regularity. One-time visits did not have such a pronounced effect. Therefore, cinema acts not just as entertainment, but as a factor of psychological protection.
Psychologists explain the effect by several factors.
Possible Mechanisms of Influence
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social interaction and a sense of belonging to a group;
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emotional release during viewing;
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distraction from personal problems;
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stimulation of memory and cognitive activity;
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regular outings and structuring of time.
Watching together creates a sense of community. And the plot of the film helps to experience emotions in a safe way.
For example, drama allows empathy with the characters, while comedy reduces stress levels. As a result, the psyche receives a natural release.
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