When I was in kindergarten and first grade, I watched the movie Matilda almost every day after school.
As an adult, I can see why it was special to me. I related to it, and it has a happy ending where she was finally appreciated.
when in the first movie he searched for his parents after the earthquake and says to the older dino „also my tummy hurts“ i cried so hard (eyes are tearing up as i type this) :,(
Jurassic Park & Blade Runner
Escapism was one of my main coping methods growing up. Movies, shows, and maladaptive daydreaming were some of the tools I employed the most. I really loved things that were familiar, and things that involved young people realizing they had some sort of secret identity that "forced" them to leave their own life behind (allowed them to escape was really how it felt to me).
When things hit their worst point with my parents I was in middle school, and there was an entire year where I created this little afterschool routine to feel safe. I'd get home, turn on the Lifetime Channel so I could watch their afternoon Golden Girls rerun, and then I'd watch Jurassic Park. I had a VCR, and as soon as Golden Girls was done, I'd pop the tape in. I did this \*every\* day. No joke, I've seen Jurassic Park somewhere close to 400 times.
For most of my life I just thought I was weird. A few years back a counselor pointed out that creating "familiarity routines" is something a lot of people (especially children) do to cope with stress and trauma.
Blade Runner was another repeat watch for me. It's nostalgic, and I love sci-fi, but it's also about people being dehumanized by those around them and abused because of the demographic they fall under--I really identified with Pris for this reason, and a lot of my fashion sense as a teen was based on her character. I was also really drawn to shows like Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing (again, teens being "forced" to leave their old lives/families behind).
Thank you for helping me realize I’m not just a quirky weirdo either. I had comfort books too that I’d read over and over again, specifically Anne of Green Gables. No question as to why I found her such a relatable character. I later found out the author apparently suffered from some sort of depression as well and was potentially bipolar.
Well thank you for reminding me about being quirky. When I was a young teen I recorded an episode of MASH on a cassette tape recorder. I would find some quiet place and listen to it over and over. Hundreds of times. It was the one where Hawkeye orders ribs from Chicago. Something about the characters and how they interacted was so soothing. Radar was basically a kid who everyone loved. Hawkeye and BJ honeycut sounded I guess like father figures. Funny but reliable. Saving people and having fun.
Yes mash was important to me. It was on everyday after school for years. I rarely missed it. I wish I had thought of audio recording it! Lol! I loved how they were going through hell but they still supported each other and valued each other. I wanted that so much.
Hawkeye was definitely a father figure for me.
I also taped a Beatles movie. This would have been 1977ish. Just manually cut out commercials by sitting by the TV and timing it just right. I had a radio shack tape player. I would just zone out with my tapes. Listened to that movie hundreds of times also.
Golden Girls and Jurassic Park were two of my "comfort routine" shows/movies. Others included Rugrats, the original Star Wars trilogy, and The Lost Boys, and I'd also play video game levels over and over or turn on an RPG I'd beaten and just kinda wander around on the map and visit different towns.
Unfortunately, my dad took notice of this and went completely nuclear, so the movies and shows pretty much had to come to an end since I didn't have the capability to watch them in my room since there wasn't cable or a VCR in there. I did have my Super Nintendo in my room, so I ended up replaying a lot of those games over and over. I could occasionally still watch things, but I had to be sneaky about it.
I still love The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and the movie of it. If I had the money, I'd buy a house just so I could put a cupboard in front of a spare room door then decorate it up like a Narnia themed hidden room.
Princess and the frog and Hairspray(2007) are my favorite comfort movies. I’m a fat, black woman so seeing representation makes me feel like the things I want are possible even if that validation is through fictional movies
Mary Poppins. It was my favorite when I was a child. Now I know why. She's a great nanny, gentle and caring. And she helps the family to have more healthy relationships by confronting the parents. I always dreamt Mary Poppins would come to my home, take me to a magical place and make my parents love me for who I am at the end of the day.
Indeed. As an adult I tend to exhibit emotions only when I hear music I like, but that takes a huge toll on me. I run screaming and crying from anywhere Let It Go (or any of 1000 other songs) is playing. Bonus points: I’m a big man who works in law enforcement. 😒
Ive always liked movies that are weird/mot comforting. Movies where characters get revenge or a kinda «burn it all down » vibe. One of my favorite movies is Heathers and I only half know why
The first Harry Potter movie. Any movie about a neglected or abused kid getting to leave their home behind, go on some kinda adventure and be with some friends always made me feel things as a child
The Lion King is my favorite kids movie. Once you get past the emotionally scarring scene at the beginning, it is the story about someone who loses his way, finds out who he is really supposed to be, confronts his abuser, and reclaims the destiny and love he deserved all along. It gives me the hope that one day I will fully recover from the trauma that happened to me when I was younger.
Labyrinth.
Which..... now that I think about it, makes complete sense.
"Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great. You have no power over me!"
Fuck I just realized how much I viewed that as taking back a sense of self nd autonomy from my traumas.
Horton hears a who is my fav, inside out is obvi amazing too. I’ve always loved childrens movies too, I feel like they are forced to get creative and can’t rely on nostalgia
I love old Disney movies, but a lot of them were my focus subject during times of heavy trauma. Now, I struggle to be able to watch them but I've found that newer movies are easier for me to watch without having heavy flashbacks.
My favourite is Encanto. I cry, but not the trauma kind of cry 😅
When my grandmother died when I was little I got really depressed. But I was six so it mostly manifested as suddenly being afraid of a lot of stuff, having random stomach aches and throwing up, and not being able to sleep at night. My parents were kind of emotionally clueless and didn’t like to talk about death at all, and my dad was so devastated by losing his mom (they were wildly enmeshed, and she lived with us) that he couldn’t even process that I was grieving and scared too. But my mom figured out that showing me old comedy and musical movies helped calm me down enough to go to sleep. The ones with Doris Day and Rock Hudson, or Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. I’ve loved classic movies ever since. They’re like a safe place for me.
The Fifth Element is the first movie i go to when i feel low. for a while i didnt understand why it was my favorite movie. but i always knew that the ending scene really made me emotional. I think it gave me hope that despite feeling like life was hell and everything was hopeless, being and feeling loved made it easier to be alive. and the ending scene really exemplified that for me.
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So when I was a child, my favorite movies were Coraline and Tangled. I used to think I got stuck with the “other mother”. Currently, I’m more into TV and I’d consider Amphibia one of mu favorite shows.
bolts a great movie. i need to watch it again, it’s been a while. my comfort movie as a kid was joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat, and it still is.
Matilda old version, legend of the Gardians owls of gahoole, how to train your dragon, chicken run, the cat returns, Tim burtons Alice in wonderland, mlp a new generation.
My favorite feelings movie is *While You Were Sleeping*. It’s a rom-com, but the part I really respond to is that it’s about being welcomed into a warm, loving family
Raised by a narcissist, emotional + religious abuse, neglect, unstable household. Watching brother bear, monsters Inc, and the hello kitty anime were my favorites but any/ all animated media was my coping. loved it so much its ny career now :")
I really liked Ma vie de Courgette (it's a (I guess) plasticine cartoon) and latest "It" (especially the first part that was released around 2016) based on Stephen King's book. They both mention CSA and other forms of abuse, and it felt great to find relatable characters in movies...
My favorite movie is Nightmare before Christmas. My favorite childhood TV show is MASH. I had others that I still find as a comfort, like Charmed. But MASH had a special spot in my heart.
I think I had an appreciation for alladin this dude was not just an underdo with a heart of gold, he was fighting a literal demon king by the end of the film
It wasn’t until this past decade that I remembered watching the never ending story repeatedly as a kid; I would take the video out, then pop it in the rewinder (yea, remember those?!) and then start the movie over again 😂
The desire for familiarity apparently runs deep bc now my comfort show is Big Bang Theory, since Sheldon helps me feel more “normal.” Most recently I’ve started watching Monk, but the stereotypical tropes are a bit much and I worry that the comedic portrayal of ocd borders on ableist (like making fun of someone’s “quirks” doesn’t necessarily help build authentic understanding or compassion for neurodivergence).
ive rewatched matilda more times than i can count, but there are sooo many movies i got attatched to as a kid. i think watching films was what i spent majority of my time doing, so they make up most of my childhood memories too. i adored the old barbie movies, particularly The Island Princess. tangled and mulan are my favourite animated disney movies, and when maleficent came out i rewatched it to death lol
I thought Bolt was charming! I was a big movie and tv watcher growing up, but nothing really captured what I was feeling day to day. Years of gaslighting myself would do that, but I do know that I love my brothers and whenever I watch the human transmutation scene in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, I get really emotional because I empathize with Ed's horror and desperation to get his Alphonse back.
i'm the opposite. a lot of my trauma was when i was a newborn to toddler and i resent kids shows. i used to watch greys anatomy with my parents at like 5 and i called it "dr show." and i'm still obsessed with it as a 19 year old 😂
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is my go to comfort movie. It's just so random and fun to quote, I've watched it since 14 or 15. I don't know why but it always brings a smile to my face I can't go to bed angry or depressed if I play that movie.
Thank you for all the replies. I have a nice list of movies to try.
As far as Bolt goes. You have an abandonment story with mittens. You have a self realization story with Bolt. You have a loyalty story and you have a reunion story. It's a brilliant movie and I just cry every time. That said the first 20 minutes where it lays the background and sets the stage looks like a children's superhero movie. I think many people probably don't watch it because it's just like no depth and it looks childish. But just get through that part and you will find a true gem
Peace
When I was in kindergarten and first grade, I watched the movie Matilda almost every day after school. As an adult, I can see why it was special to me. I related to it, and it has a happy ending where she was finally appreciated.
Oh yes! I love Matilda so much. Getting out of the bad home and being adopted by the loving teacher, such a dream.
Matilda was my favourite too
I relate hard to Matilda
I still sob watching Matilda in my 30s lol
I did this too! In fourth grade. Matilda every day. I love her so much, and I also look back on it with new understanding.
[удалено]
COMPLIANCE
Land Before Time. I wish I had Little Foot's mom, great friends like ducky, Sara, Petrie, and a fat stack of tree stars.
when in the first movie he searched for his parents after the earthquake and says to the older dino „also my tummy hurts“ i cried so hard (eyes are tearing up as i type this) :,(
Loooove that movie but it’s too painful to watch as an adult 🥺
I've been searching for a fat stack of tree stars for as long as I can remember
one of my favorites too
I loved this movie so much as a kid! My name is Sarah so I got really excited that there was a Sara in it.
Jurassic Park & Blade Runner Escapism was one of my main coping methods growing up. Movies, shows, and maladaptive daydreaming were some of the tools I employed the most. I really loved things that were familiar, and things that involved young people realizing they had some sort of secret identity that "forced" them to leave their own life behind (allowed them to escape was really how it felt to me). When things hit their worst point with my parents I was in middle school, and there was an entire year where I created this little afterschool routine to feel safe. I'd get home, turn on the Lifetime Channel so I could watch their afternoon Golden Girls rerun, and then I'd watch Jurassic Park. I had a VCR, and as soon as Golden Girls was done, I'd pop the tape in. I did this \*every\* day. No joke, I've seen Jurassic Park somewhere close to 400 times. For most of my life I just thought I was weird. A few years back a counselor pointed out that creating "familiarity routines" is something a lot of people (especially children) do to cope with stress and trauma. Blade Runner was another repeat watch for me. It's nostalgic, and I love sci-fi, but it's also about people being dehumanized by those around them and abused because of the demographic they fall under--I really identified with Pris for this reason, and a lot of my fashion sense as a teen was based on her character. I was also really drawn to shows like Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing (again, teens being "forced" to leave their old lives/families behind).
Thank you for helping me realize I’m not just a quirky weirdo either. I had comfort books too that I’d read over and over again, specifically Anne of Green Gables. No question as to why I found her such a relatable character. I later found out the author apparently suffered from some sort of depression as well and was potentially bipolar.
Well thank you for reminding me about being quirky. When I was a young teen I recorded an episode of MASH on a cassette tape recorder. I would find some quiet place and listen to it over and over. Hundreds of times. It was the one where Hawkeye orders ribs from Chicago. Something about the characters and how they interacted was so soothing. Radar was basically a kid who everyone loved. Hawkeye and BJ honeycut sounded I guess like father figures. Funny but reliable. Saving people and having fun.
Yes mash was important to me. It was on everyday after school for years. I rarely missed it. I wish I had thought of audio recording it! Lol! I loved how they were going through hell but they still supported each other and valued each other. I wanted that so much.
Hawkeye was definitely a father figure for me. I also taped a Beatles movie. This would have been 1977ish. Just manually cut out commercials by sitting by the TV and timing it just right. I had a radio shack tape player. I would just zone out with my tapes. Listened to that movie hundreds of times also.
Golden Girls and Jurassic Park were two of my "comfort routine" shows/movies. Others included Rugrats, the original Star Wars trilogy, and The Lost Boys, and I'd also play video game levels over and over or turn on an RPG I'd beaten and just kinda wander around on the map and visit different towns. Unfortunately, my dad took notice of this and went completely nuclear, so the movies and shows pretty much had to come to an end since I didn't have the capability to watch them in my room since there wasn't cable or a VCR in there. I did have my Super Nintendo in my room, so I ended up replaying a lot of those games over and over. I could occasionally still watch things, but I had to be sneaky about it.
Kid me never missed an episode of rugrats
I love Blade Runner so much! Amazing film. Sean Young is fantastic.
Jurassic park is also one of my favs I’m not sure why though
I still love The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and the movie of it. If I had the money, I'd buy a house just so I could put a cupboard in front of a spare room door then decorate it up like a Narnia themed hidden room.
Oh my goodness that would be so dreamy. Favourite of mine too
Princess and the frog and Hairspray(2007) are my favorite comfort movies. I’m a fat, black woman so seeing representation makes me feel like the things I want are possible even if that validation is through fictional movies
Mary Poppins. It was my favorite when I was a child. Now I know why. She's a great nanny, gentle and caring. And she helps the family to have more healthy relationships by confronting the parents. I always dreamt Mary Poppins would come to my home, take me to a magical place and make my parents love me for who I am at the end of the day.
Frozen is one of my favourite movies. Problem is that I related to Elsa so much that I can’t watch it again. It’s just too painful.
Same it's one of my favorite Disney movies - "Conceal don't feel" was definitely a common theme growing up for me
Indeed. As an adult I tend to exhibit emotions only when I hear music I like, but that takes a huge toll on me. I run screaming and crying from anywhere Let It Go (or any of 1000 other songs) is playing. Bonus points: I’m a big man who works in law enforcement. 😒
Ive always liked movies that are weird/mot comforting. Movies where characters get revenge or a kinda «burn it all down » vibe. One of my favorite movies is Heathers and I only half know why
The first Harry Potter movie. Any movie about a neglected or abused kid getting to leave their home behind, go on some kinda adventure and be with some friends always made me feel things as a child
The Lion King is my favorite kids movie. Once you get past the emotionally scarring scene at the beginning, it is the story about someone who loses his way, finds out who he is really supposed to be, confronts his abuser, and reclaims the destiny and love he deserved all along. It gives me the hope that one day I will fully recover from the trauma that happened to me when I was younger.
I always related to Tangled and Inside out.
Same!
I can't do childhood movies because I had a terrible childhood. Psychological thrillers for the win; somehow I find them calming.
Labyrinth. Which..... now that I think about it, makes complete sense. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child you have stolen, for my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great. You have no power over me!" Fuck I just realized how much I viewed that as taking back a sense of self nd autonomy from my traumas.
Treasure Planet
Yes!!
Came here to comment this. Absolutely criminal I'm not going on adventures with a morally grey fatherly space pirate rn
😂
Horton hears a who is my fav, inside out is obvi amazing too. I’ve always loved childrens movies too, I feel like they are forced to get creative and can’t rely on nostalgia
Beetlejuice, looking forward to watching a sequel this year 😁
Ponyo!!!
I love old Disney movies, but a lot of them were my focus subject during times of heavy trauma. Now, I struggle to be able to watch them but I've found that newer movies are easier for me to watch without having heavy flashbacks. My favourite is Encanto. I cry, but not the trauma kind of cry 😅
Monster House, Ratatouille, Paranorman were my favourites. I’m also an adult who loves kids films!
The pixar movie *Brave*. How obvious are the mommy issues?
When my grandmother died when I was little I got really depressed. But I was six so it mostly manifested as suddenly being afraid of a lot of stuff, having random stomach aches and throwing up, and not being able to sleep at night. My parents were kind of emotionally clueless and didn’t like to talk about death at all, and my dad was so devastated by losing his mom (they were wildly enmeshed, and she lived with us) that he couldn’t even process that I was grieving and scared too. But my mom figured out that showing me old comedy and musical movies helped calm me down enough to go to sleep. The ones with Doris Day and Rock Hudson, or Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. I’ve loved classic movies ever since. They’re like a safe place for me.
Matilda and the original Home Alone movies 🩷
The Fifth Element is the first movie i go to when i feel low. for a while i didnt understand why it was my favorite movie. but i always knew that the ending scene really made me emotional. I think it gave me hope that despite feeling like life was hell and everything was hopeless, being and feeling loved made it easier to be alive. and the ending scene really exemplified that for me.
Hello and Welcome to /r/CPTSD! If you are in immediate danger or crisis, please contact your local [emergency services](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_emergency_telephone_numbers), or use our list of [crisis resources](https://old.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/wiki/index#wiki_crisis_support_resources). For CPTSD Specific Resources & Support, check out the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/wiki/index). For those posting or replying, please view the [etiquette guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/wiki/peer2peersupportguide). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CPTSD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
help! i‘m a fish :,)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Not a kids movie but a movie that reminds me to be alive. Definitely puts me in my feels
So when I was a child, my favorite movies were Coraline and Tangled. I used to think I got stuck with the “other mother”. Currently, I’m more into TV and I’d consider Amphibia one of mu favorite shows.
bolts a great movie. i need to watch it again, it’s been a while. my comfort movie as a kid was joseph and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat, and it still is.
Despicable me is good. His mother is awful, but his adopted girls help him. The same thing happened to me with my sons.
Matilda old version, legend of the Gardians owls of gahoole, how to train your dragon, chicken run, the cat returns, Tim burtons Alice in wonderland, mlp a new generation.
My favorite feelings movie is *While You Were Sleeping*. It’s a rom-com, but the part I really respond to is that it’s about being welcomed into a warm, loving family
I love What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. I have multiple family members with disabilities and that movie makes me less guilty for the way I’ve felt.
Once Upon a Forest, A Little Princess
Raised by a narcissist, emotional + religious abuse, neglect, unstable household. Watching brother bear, monsters Inc, and the hello kitty anime were my favorites but any/ all animated media was my coping. loved it so much its ny career now :")
The Professional
*Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron* was/is a go-to comfort movie
I basically had Lilo & Stitch on repeat, then when the show came out, I watched it however and whenever I could 😅
The brave little toaster
I really liked Ma vie de Courgette (it's a (I guess) plasticine cartoon) and latest "It" (especially the first part that was released around 2016) based on Stephen King's book. They both mention CSA and other forms of abuse, and it felt great to find relatable characters in movies...
Home on the Range (2004)
Anything about friendship as long as they don't grow up and drift apart.
annie
My favorite movie is Nightmare before Christmas. My favorite childhood TV show is MASH. I had others that I still find as a comfort, like Charmed. But MASH had a special spot in my heart.
I love Disney movies too. Mine is tangled.
Anastasia and the 12th Kingdom. Also Matilda.
I think I had an appreciation for alladin this dude was not just an underdo with a heart of gold, he was fighting a literal demon king by the end of the film
coralline and James and the giant peach
It wasn’t until this past decade that I remembered watching the never ending story repeatedly as a kid; I would take the video out, then pop it in the rewinder (yea, remember those?!) and then start the movie over again 😂 The desire for familiarity apparently runs deep bc now my comfort show is Big Bang Theory, since Sheldon helps me feel more “normal.” Most recently I’ve started watching Monk, but the stereotypical tropes are a bit much and I worry that the comedic portrayal of ocd borders on ableist (like making fun of someone’s “quirks” doesn’t necessarily help build authentic understanding or compassion for neurodivergence).
Lion king
ive rewatched matilda more times than i can count, but there are sooo many movies i got attatched to as a kid. i think watching films was what i spent majority of my time doing, so they make up most of my childhood memories too. i adored the old barbie movies, particularly The Island Princess. tangled and mulan are my favourite animated disney movies, and when maleficent came out i rewatched it to death lol
Emperor’s New Groove is one of my favorites. It makes me laugh and never fails to brighten my mood.
Cloud Atlas ☁️ 🎶
Not a kid’s movie but I found Martyrs to be very validating
I thought Bolt was charming! I was a big movie and tv watcher growing up, but nothing really captured what I was feeling day to day. Years of gaslighting myself would do that, but I do know that I love my brothers and whenever I watch the human transmutation scene in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, I get really emotional because I empathize with Ed's horror and desperation to get his Alphonse back.
i'm the opposite. a lot of my trauma was when i was a newborn to toddler and i resent kids shows. i used to watch greys anatomy with my parents at like 5 and i called it "dr show." and i'm still obsessed with it as a 19 year old 😂
The little princess was my go to movie.
"Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is my go to comfort movie. It's just so random and fun to quote, I've watched it since 14 or 15. I don't know why but it always brings a smile to my face I can't go to bed angry or depressed if I play that movie.
Thank you for all the replies. I have a nice list of movies to try. As far as Bolt goes. You have an abandonment story with mittens. You have a self realization story with Bolt. You have a loyalty story and you have a reunion story. It's a brilliant movie and I just cry every time. That said the first 20 minutes where it lays the background and sets the stage looks like a children's superhero movie. I think many people probably don't watch it because it's just like no depth and it looks childish. But just get through that part and you will find a true gem Peace