Gilmore Girls Fans know: When the seasons change and the leaves are falling, it’s prime time to revisit Stars Hollow.
Comfort TV There is no doubt that watching again feels comfortable, but according to the psychiatrist Jill Lewis, MA, LCSWThere are many ways in which they can promote mental health.
And while she says you definitely shouldn’t feel guilty about having Carole King’s “Where You Lead” on repeat on your screen, it’s good to be able to recognize the signs that your excessive TV habit may be becoming a problem. Has been.
When someone says it’s their watch again self careThey are not kidding. With so many stressors in everyday life, returning to a show you’ve already watched can provide a sense of security and a way to mentally decompress.
“There’s really a lot of security in the sense that people already know this is going to happen,” Lewis, who lives in Atlanta, told The Post. “They know the ending, so they don’t necessarily have to invest as much mental energy and they can enjoy it a little more.
“Many people also find them security blanket – Familiarity, security. It feels good, it’s like a hug.”
With a new show – especially something like a crime drama – you may feel “over-stimulated”, stressed and over-reactive because you don’t know what emotions will come over you, but what you’ve already seen. have actually seen him physically calm,
“It calms our nervous system because we know what’s going to happen. “We don’t have to think so much about the mind-body connection, and we just be,” Lewis said. “It’s more relaxing, and I don’t think our brains have to work as hard to pay attention.” Is. Then by default, it helps our body to be calmer, to be less active, to be less stressed.
Your Netflix queue may be full of things you want to watch — but don’t let yourself get discouraged if you return again and again to a show you love.
“If it feels good, it’s working, right?” Lewis said.
“When people self-attack, my interpretation is that they are worried about other people’s judgments about what they are doing, rather than about what they are doing. [thinking]’It feels good to me. I want to respect it, and live in it.”
But why Gilmore?
From January to June of 2023 — not even the peak of the Gilmore Girls seasons — Netflix recorded 500 million viewing hours for the show, according to new York TimesThis equates to 4,668,534 people watching all 153 episodes across seven seasons.
Lewis – a certified group therapist who runs multiple interactive process group Working on our emotions, taking up space, claiming, impact on others, impact on ourselves and healthy conflict – she calls the show funny, light-hearted and uplifting – citing the show’s humor.
“I can appreciate why many people would really enjoy it and why it can help and improve people’s mental health,” she said.
“Everything I do in therapy is about relationships and relationship building, and the heart of this show is the mother and daughter relationship and friendship. So there’s a real gift in being able to see a real relationship that has ups and downs, that has problems, that has struggled, that has hurt, but that has so much love and so much care in it.
Of course, other shows can serve the same purpose. last month, Marie Claire shared It has 30 of the best cozy TV shows, including Friends, Schitt’s Creek, Ted Lasso, Modern Family, New Girl, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Gossip Girl.
charm of revisiting autumn
Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s world will always be tied to fall, but even beyond that connection, fall makes perfect sense as a time to stream an old favorite.
For one thing, Lewis points out, the temperature has dropped, and Daylight savings means it gets dark earlier – So people want to stay inside, and the familiar TV can “feel like a warm blanket.”
“When it’s a little colder and it’s not so nice outside, there’s something comforting about having a little more ‘permission’ to be inside, to see your favorite things again,” Lewis said.
But really – how much is too much?
So yes, a cozy rewatch has health benefits — but there comes a time when a couple of episodes a day turn into a dozen and you might need to reevaluate.
Lewis said, “If someone is not able to experience life because of watching too much TV, that’s too much.” “If someone is choosing to stay home again and again to watch a show instead of being social, stop taking care of yourself Because of the show, it is interfering too much and we need to pay attention to it.
“If you come home and watch two episodes, but you feed yourself dinner and you shower and you take care of your kids and you go to bed at a normal time, I think that’s included. nothing is wrong.”
