Important Lessons at the Movies

Like many other people, I have caught on to the excitement of the new movie Inside Out. I am glad that the movie has gained so much attention. Not only is it funny with a great story line, but I think the concept is brilliant. The movie mainly focuses on the emotions of Riley, an 11-year-old girl who has just moved.

One of the things I liked best about the movie is the relationship between the characters Joy and Sadness. Joy always wants Riley to be happy and tries to keep Sadness at bay, but Sadness has an important role to play. In one scene, Joy and Sadness are on a journey through Riley’s mind with Bing Bong, Riley’s childhood imaginary friend. When Bing Bong is sad that Riley doesn’t talk to him anymore, it's Sadness who empathizes with him and helps him to feel better. The conflict between Joy and Sadness is important to the resolution of the movie.

This message is important because it mirrors life. Like Joy in the movie, it can be tempting for us to try to deny our sadness and want to be happy all the time. Sadness can tell us important information about those who were important that we have lost or what is or isn't working out. It's normal to feel sad and it is healthy to grieve the losses in our lives. In fact, ignoring sad feelings can make them worse. In the movie, Riley had to got through a period of sadness because of the loss of her old house and friends. Going through the sadness helped Riley to feel better again. 

This seems like such a simple lesson, but it took me a long time to learn it. 

Indifference Is Not The Answer: The Importance of Being Accepted by Chris Viola

As was written in our earlier blog ‘When a name hurts: The Mental Health Effects of Bullying’, social rejection can have a detrimental effect on someone’s life for years, with many cases being unbeknownst to others, even those close to the victim. However, simply the absence of bullying isn't enough for someone to have a healthy childhood, as complete exclusion can have an equal, or even worse effect someone.

According to ASAP science’s video “The Science of Heartbreak,” multiple studies have shown that when given the choice, most people would rather experience physical pain than being socially excluded. This would mean that on the playground, one would prefer to be beat up, but otherwise treated normally instead of being totally isolated. Yet more studies have shown that chimps isolated from their native group have increased levels of Cortisol (the stress hormone), the effects of which on one’s mental health are relatively self-explanatory.

There’s an old quote, credited to various authors, stating that “The opposite of love is not to hate, apathy is”. This quote has been around for a long time now, and time and time again has been proven to be correct by those who lack a positive social interaction with others.

In the Health.com article “12 ways we sabotage our mental health”,  social isolation is the first one mentioned, stating that it is both a symptom and effect of depression. This has terrible implications, as being socially isolated leads to depression. Depression causes more social isolation. Social isolation causes even deeper depression, and the cycle continues, can go on infinitely unless stopped.

For those currently experiencing social isolation, its best to keep in mind that any level of rejection you’re experiencing isn't something that you should blame yourself for. Don’t let someone else’s actions give you a feeling of your own self-worth, and that you are a spectacular person with potential that others simply can’t see.

Chris Viola is continuing his education at Mohawk College in the Public Relations Post-Grad program after graduating from TV broadcasting. He also works part-time at the YMCA.