Energise your mind with these films.

When you're fighting the blues, sinking into a good movie can be a therapeutic distraction. Videos can also educate family and friends about  depression (or other serious mental illnesses). Here's our list of things to check out.

How Movies Help Keep Your Sanity

Movies have the power to escape. A good movie can take us back in time, take us in the middle of an exciting adventure, or take us back to another dimension.And in these hours we are completely immersed: the real burdens melt away and we are completely ruptured.

A good movie can also distract us from emotional pain or give us space to shed unshed tears. When you are struggling or struggling with your mind, immersing yourself in another world and focusing on the characters, plot and story can help you forget  your problems even when you are not, then only temporarily.

Movies to watch:

1. INSIDE OUT (2015)

Inside Out is an animated  film for children about an 11-year-old girl who is relocated to San Francisco from her home in the Midwest. Impact of emotions per person,” says Michael Damioli, LCSW, CSAT, clinical director of Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery (CMAR). “By externalising a person's inner emotional process, we can understand how our feelings can affect our thoughts and behaviours, but more importantly, it reminds us that we  have the conscious ability to choose our emotional state at different times , and often do.” , he says."It's also  a fantastic way of bringing lightness and humour to our emotional process, especially when we're feeling sad/down."

2. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER (2009)

The romantic film tells the story of a greeting card writer who was born by his girlfriend and is surprised when she suddenly decides to break up with him. As she reflects on the 500 days of their relationship and what went wrong, she reinvents herself in the process. "The film helps put things in perspective," says Schiff. "Even though you may be feeling down and  life may never get better, it shows us that happiness and opportunity can be right around the corner, but only if we're willing to go out  and grab them.“

3. THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

“Coming-of-age films are stories of teenagers or young adults who are going through profound life changes that result in them beginning to redefine their adult identities,” says Damioli. Story of a socially awkward teenager who befriends two determined classmates who help him develop a sense of belonging.