How Movies and TV Shows May Help Teens With Attachment Disorders

How Movies and TV Shows May Help Teens With Attachment Disorders

Teens watching movies and binging TV shows on a streaming platform can seem like a giant waste of time in some parents’ eyes. But, what if you were told that it might actually be helping your teenager, particularly if your kid struggles with an attachment disorder?

A groundbreaking study found that out of over 1,000 participants, people found it easier to connect with others and manage their different attachment disorders with the help of TV shows and movies.

Struggling Teens Can See The Value Of Attachments

Teenagers, whether they have an attachment disorder or not, tend to ignore what their parents have to say. And when it comes to attachment issues, whether your teen struggles to form attachments or is overly needy in their attachment, being lectured or even advised by parents isn’t likely to make much of an impact.

While that shouldn’t stop you from trying, you should know that movies and TV shows can help your teen see what you are talking about in action. For instance, teenage girls who are struggling can see that they don’t have to be subservient to a partner to deserve love and attention with the right media. Instead of seeing attachments as something draining that requires all their energy to maintain, teens can see on the screen healthy relationships where partners—both platonic and romantic—are supportive and caring.

Exploring Complex Emotions Can Be Easier

Part of what teens struggle with when it comes to attachments is the emotions tied to interpersonal relationships. Teenage boys at therapeutic boarding schools often learn specific skills on how to connect with others and navigate their complex emotions.

But for those teens not at therapeutic boarding schools, movies and TV shows can be a great way to safely explore the complex emotions that come with attachments. In the safe venue of the media, your teen can see how emotions are processed and how characters deal with each other in relation to their tough feelings.

Ways Parents Can Maximize TV Watching Time

You don’t have to wait and hope that your teen’s attachment issues are resolved by TV shows and movies. Instead, here are some ways you can proactively maximize your teen’s interest in media:

Pick out shows with healthy relationship skills – Let’s be real—not all TV shows and movies showcase the best relationships. It is one thing to have a tough relationship that ends up working out, but some entertainment thrives on truly awful relationships between characters. Instead of leaving it up to chance, you can proactively pick out healthy options for you and your teen to watch together.

Discuss media after watching – By watching the TV shows and movies together—or at least both of you being familiar with the material—you and your teenager can discuss it. Through this discussion, you don’t have to clearly point out how the different attachment styles work, but it will likely come up naturally.

For instance, after an episode where a romantic couple fights, but ends up healthily talking through their issues, your teen is likely to ask how realistic the situation is, giving you an opening to talk about appropriate conflict resolution.

Encourage your teen to visualize – Teenagers with attachment disorders often struggle to visualize a positive relationship, whether platonic or romantic. So, when your teen runs into a tough spot where they aren’t sure how to appropriately react, encourage them to visualize how the characters they watched would act. For example, how would Captain America react to an argument with a close friend? How would Jim from The Office fix the hurt feelings of Pam?

By taking simple steps and choosing appropriate media, you may be able to help your struggling teenager develop a stronger sense of self and attachment skills.

Request Free Admissions Information

Step 1 of 3 - Your Contact Info

Written by Natalie

23 Jul, 2020

Recent Posts

The Good and Bad of Viral Challenges

The Good and Bad of Viral Challenges

Viral challenges. What words and ideas come to your mind when you hear those words? Viral challenges have a reputation of being either completely good or bad. In this article, you’ll learn about the viral challenges common nowadays, the pros and cons of these...

Negative Thinking Patterns: Magnifying and Minimizing

Negative Thinking Patterns: Magnifying and Minimizing

“I hear a thousand kind words about me And it makes no difference Yet I hear one insult And all confidence shatters. -focusing on the negative” --Rupi Kaur in her book of poems The Sun and Her Flowers. In Rupi Kaur’s book of poems The Sun and Her Flowers, she centers...

Negative Thinking Patterns: Labelling & Personalization

Negative Thinking Patterns: Labelling & Personalization

Negative Thinking Patterns: Labelling & Personalization “If you have secretly longed for significance, the journey does not begin out there in the world, But deep within, where you embrace Your honest self.” --Morgan Harper Nichols in her book of poems, All Along...

Negative Thinking Patterns: Fortune Telling

Negative Thinking Patterns: Fortune Telling

“The only thing that truly matters Is how often you say On your journey, “This, all of this, is for me.” -- Nikita Gill in her book of poems, Wild Embers: Poems of Rebellion, Fire, and Beauty As Nikita Gill points out in her book of poems that center on mental health...

Negative Thinking Patterns: All Or Nothing

Negative Thinking Patterns: All Or Nothing

“You’re a rainbow my love,Their sky is too clouded with darknessFor them to see your colors.”--Pierre Alex Jeanty in his book of poems Her. This article will help you understand some of the behaviors that the All or Nothing negative thought pattern can trigger in your...

You May Also Like…

At What Age Should a Teen Date?

At What Age Should a Teen Date?

The word ‘dating’ sends parental anxiety skyrocketing when teens explore their newfound freedom and discover...

Helping Your Teen Learn Manners

Helping Your Teen Learn Manners

The future of a friendly, considerate teen with good manners will benefit greatly from your efforts to teach them good...

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *