When there’s nothing else to watch, or you just need something on in the background, is there anything better than Friends? I’ve probably watched every episode at least twenty times each because of how easy it is to watch.
There’s something soothing about watching Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Ross, Joey and Chandler drink coffee at Central Perk all day while they figure out how to solve whatever problem is plaguing them that week.
It turns out there’s a lot of truth to that because it seems the show is actually a useful tool for easing anxiety.
Clinical psychologist Marc Hekster has explained to Metro why the show is good for those with mild anxiety, “Having worked for over a period of 20 years with those experiencing anxiety, I can conclude that among other factors, it is the repetitive and relational nature of programs such as Friends and Big Bang Theory that will be doing the trick.”
Hekster said anxiety is “the human mind’s alarm system” and its primary purpose is to indicate “something is wrong”, which is often “the result of pent-up and unprocessed feelings”.
“If they can’t find a way of being expressed, the alarm system triggers, and it is usually not very pleasant for the person suffering with anxiety. Few people who suffer from anxiety will have much good to say about it, and will want to escape it.”
So, if you’ve had a tough day and need to de-stress, is there a better solution than watching a 20-minute episode of Friends?
“[Watching Friends] is about an experience of repair, of watching the characters in the show repeatedly having worries, which then get repaired and soothed, usually in the context of other relationships in their lives.”
“Complex problems are made the focus of each episode, and then they are resolved within the relationships which are the essence of the shows. It is pure escapism, excellent, bring it on.”
Repeated viewings of the show can also help increase those anxiety-easing benefits.
“This is about the healing nature of repetition. We see this in children, resolving child-like feelings and emotions by doing the same thing over and again—often to the incredulity of their parents,” Hekster said.
“Yes, it is soothing to see the same outcome every time and know you can depend on it. This is at the heart of human development.”
“So, when grown-ups are anxious, they can have child-like feelings of fear and worry, and these can be soothed by repetition. Bring on Friends repeats for the 10th time.”
But it turns out there is a catch.
If you have severe anxiety, binging episode after episode isn’t great for you.
“On the negative side… none of it is very real, and how can life ever be so… kind of perfect. It can’t. Whilst a quick fix for milder forms of anxiety, those suffering with more severe anxiety may find less solace in such programs. But that is another matter,” he said.
BRB off to binge.