In these days where there are so much good movies and series to watch to, where there are a lot of things that needs to be done but still we find ourselves asking, "what shall I do?". Despite of the to-do list that you have to tick, you still find time to watch and immerse yourself with these overwhelming movies and series. How are you now?
Well for me, I don't know. With the current pandemic that we are suffering now, here I am finding myself trying to escape from worries and all. Last week I started and finished Crash Landing On You, over the weekend I finished Kingdom Season 2, and in 2 days I finished Well-Intended Love.
Yesterday after finishing Well-Intended Love, I felt sad. This is not new to me tho because I usually feel sad whenever I am finishing the series that I am watching. I feel sad because of the thought that I already finished the series means I am not going to see them again. I have this separation anxiety thing with regard to the things that I focused on. Well, focused on too much.
Since it seems like I haven't moved on with these last three series I have watched. I had myself checked by the ever great doctor - google. According to Urban Dictionary, it seems like I have a PSD (Post-Series Depression). Ofcourse, this is just a joke for me! I am not entertaining this thing as a mental state problem (for me). I just really need to express and let this feeling pass.
*Clears throat* So what does Urban Dictionary says about this PSD?
It is the sadness felt after reading or watching a really long series or story. The bitter feeling when you know the journey is over, but you don't want it to end.
It is the longing for the words on the pages to move for you like they did the first time you read them. When you didn't know what the next paragraph held and the world in which the characters found themselves was entirely without limit. Because any time you re-read the story, you know that they aren't free to roam anywhere like they were before. They are stuck in a cart on a track and all you can hope for is to notice something about the scene you didn't before, and to just try to relive those feelings you had the first time around.
But it will never be quite the same.
This can apply to any series; be it a book series, TV series, an anime, comic, or even movie. The effects can also be felt after completing a stand alone piece that is not necessarily part of a series, although this isn't as common as PSD derives from the attachment one has to the story's characters.
Effects include, but are not limited to:
• A state depression or sadness
• The inability to start another story
• The need to rewatch/reread
• Excessively projecting felt love towards the internet
• Creating fan fiction
(prettyCoolGuy, 2012)
It seems like I have 4/5 of the effects. *lol*. 😂
From what Lecklitner (2020) wrote of which he quoted some guy named Raymond Foss, “Reinvesting one’s energy and attention into another series can also help some move on”. Thinking about this, I was actually doing this reevaluating thing before... of which I had stopped doing by the way. *sigh* Oh well, I think this just be a temporary thing.
Last night during our GLC with my siblings and their D-Group, I found myself asking God for help. Help that He will find a way to deliver me from the sadness and emptiness that I am feeling. I realized that I have been spending a lot of time watching and even sleeping at 5am means that I am depriving God my time and attention. So this morning when I woke up and seek God. Aside from the daily bread, I allotted more time in reading the bible.
Watching series brings so much fun indeed, but guarding ourselves with its possible effect to our health (not sleeping for the sake of watching) and relationship with God must be observed. If you find yourself immensing so much with the series you've been watching, take a break and remind yourself of the reality that you are in. Series should help us relax and be better not makes as suffer nor makes as sad nor damage our emotions. Life is wonderful after-all. Smile! 😊
Reference:
Lecklitner, I. (2020). PSYCHOLOGISTS ON HOW TO FILL THE EMPTINESS YOU FEEL AFTER BINGEING A GREAT SHOW. Mel Magazine. https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/psychologists-on-how-to-fill-the-emptiness-you-feel-after-binging-a-great-show
PrettyCoolGuy, (2012). Urban Dictionary. https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Post-Series%20Depression
