Science says: it's really good to watch your favorite series a million times
Of course I'm happy when a top series is added to the gigantic Netflix collection again, but I increasingly notice that I would just as gladly rewatch a ‘golden oldie’. Last month I started watching again Orange Is The New Black, which I'm now watching for the second time. I've watched Gossip Girl about five or six times and I've lost count with Friends and Frasier... Which, in my opinion, is more common among loyal Friends viewers. And it may sound like a mindless activity, because you already know it by heart, right? Well, good news: it's actually very healthy for you to repeat your favorite series (or movie) a thousand times.
Especially when you're not feeling great, which I – to be very honest – have been since the beginning of corona, and I guess I'm not the only one. Especially in a time when such a virus puts everyone's life on hold, the hospitality industry was shut down, festivals were canceled, and vacations were called off, life can give you a sense of insecurity. And what turns out to help very well against that? Exactly: putting on your favorite series one more time.
The fear and uncertainty that these kinds of things give us, we want — consciously or unconsciously — not to have during our leisure activities. We don't get that from series we've watched a million times (or just once). We know exactly what will happen, what we can expect, and whether we like it, and that gives us a certain feeling of safety.
Psychologist Pamela Rutledge confirms this: when everything around you is uncontrollable and seems to be going in a completely different direction than you would like, putting on something familiar can calm you down. And yes, this also works with your favorite music. ‘It can be very therapeutic, especially if you suffer from certain anxieties. Watching the same thing multiple times confirms that there is still some order in the world and can bring a sense of safety and comfort on a primary level.’
To be very honest: I haven't felt that there is some order in the world yet, as it has just been announced that the entire festival season can be crossed out again. So what am I going to do? Exactly: schedule a big binge session of Orange Is The New Black for tonight.
Last but not least: do you often revert to series from the past? That's not strange according to Rutledge: ‘Nostalgia can lead to certain contexts that we need at that moment, a certain perspective and direction, a memory (and reassurance) that indicates that our life is not as banal as it feels now. It also tells us that things were better before and that it will get better again, with meaningful moments and experiences.’ A mouthful, but I think it's a beautiful idea and a logical reasoning. Alright, I'll plan that binge session of Friends too. Reflecting on simpler times.
Source: Health24
