Warrior playlist: Must-see movies about mental health this World Mental Health Awareness Day
October 10 is World Mental Health Day, a time when everyone is encouraged to show their support for mental health and increase awareness of the challenges it continues to endure globally.
This special day was first observed in 1992 as an initiative by the World Federation For Mental Health. But whether it is October 10 or not, mental health is an aspect of our lives that should be taken seriously and even taught in schools.
Just like our physical health, mental health affects our overall well-being, behavior, and decisions in life. It's worth getting familiarized with, and one easy way of doing so is by streaming engaging movies that tackle mental health.
Don't know where to start? Let this list guide you through some of the most popular films perfect for your binge-watching pleasure this mental health awareness day.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
This underrated film explored the mental instability of Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet). Clementine has borderline personality disorder, while Jim has avoidant personality disorder. This film explores the two people's chaotic, heartbreaking, and passionate relationship as well as how sadness and depression may drive people to the point of extreme desperation where they choose to "erase" a portion of their memories.
My Letters to Happy
My Letters to Happy, which stars Glaiza De Castro and TJ Trinidad, focuses on mental illness and its repercussions. This Filipino romance drama follows the story of Glaiza's Maria Jasmin, also known as Happy, and TJ's Albert, a career-oriented businessman.
These two individuals with distinct personalities struggle with mental illness, with one given a diagnosis, while the other acts as a companion. The film was produced with hopes of breaking the stigma and opening up conversations about mental health.
Inside out
A young girl named Riley experiences sadness when her family relocated from Minnesota to San Francisco in Pixar's Inside Out. The movie gives life to Riley's internal feelings, which have an impact on her behavior and how she portrays herself to others.
This movie shows how various human emotions can manifest as mental diseases. For example, sadness can manifest as depression, fear as anxiety, disgust as OCD, joy can show as manic behavior, and anger can reflect issues with violence. The film serves as a gentle reminder to accept ourselves, to give ourselves permission to not always be okay, and to give people close to us time to process their own emotional awakenings.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Due to its subtle and sincere treatment of sadness, this Stephen Chbosky book-to-movie adaption quickly rose to fame as of one of the most recognizable movies for many moviegoers. Logan Lerman, who played the role of Charlie, has difficulty opening up about himself, especially when it comes to the things that make him uncomfortable internally.
The movie chronicles how the protagonist deals with his post-traumatic stress disorder, which resulted from a sexual abuse her went through in the past. Perks of Being a Wallflower shows how difficult life can be for those who are neglected or abused, and how they can flourish when welcomed for who they really are.
Frozen
Unknown to many, Disney's Frozen is more than just magic and sisterhood, the movie subtly dabbles in mental health awareness. The film follows the journey of two siblings—Snow Queen Elsa and Anna—as their kingdom is forced to live in everlasting winter.
Upbeat chants and a thrilling journey to the North Mountain aside, the movie shows Elsa's struggle with anxiety and sadness, Olaf's seemingly antisocial personality disorder; and Anna's borderline personality disorder. Many of us may identify with Elsa's narrative, but by acknowledging her vulnerability and reaching out to others, she discovers her true power and comes to terms with who she is.
Bliss
This Filipino psychological thriller featuring Iza Calzado draws attention to various mental health issues, their causes, and complications. It narrates the harrowing story of actress Jane Ciego, who's flourishing career turns sideways because of an accident that happened during a film shooting that, in turn, left her crippled. She is then trapped inside her own house and having to face the horror of living with her unloving husband, strange nurse, and bizarre supernatural phenomena.
Horse Girl
Horse Girl follows the story of a sweet misfit named Sarah (Alison Brie) who adores horses and spooky crime dramas and starts to experience bizarre dreams that start to skew her perspective of reality. Her real-life family's history of paranoid schizophrenia and depression, as well as her ensuing concerns about her own psyche, are the basis for the mental health portion of Horse Girl.
[---widget:47082:related mental health---