I get post-series depression sometimes after finishing a really enjoyable book series or TV series. There is actual science that backs this up. I’ve never understood my attachment to a TV show or a book series. I feel like I’ve lived their fictional lives and want them to continue, especially if the series was impressive or touched me.
What is Post-Series Depression?
According to Urban Dictionary, “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.”
As someone who struggles with OCD and anxiety symptoms, TV shows, especially long dramas in foreign languages and historical settings, really help to relieve these symptoms by transporting me out of reality into a world I can embody through mirror neurons.
What are Mirror Neurons?
Researchers have been studying a thing called mirror neurons, which are triggered inside our brains when we watch someone else’s actions, which creates empathy.
Mirror neurons work by activating your mirror neuron system when you watch a show or get immersed in a story. So when a character on screen is upset, you mirror that feeling in your brain. If they’re in love, you might feel the same way. (Source: DIY BRAIN)
This experience can make us feel less lonely as we reproduce and mirror the emotions we see on screen. They’re comforting and can lift our mood.
That Feeling of Emptiness, Explained
Jeanette Raymond, a psychologist explains that “The feelings of emptiness and depression after engaging with something so absorbing are because a part of you died when that experience ended…In order to have enjoyed it so much, you put yourself into it and became part of it. That’s what made it so entrancing — you opened yourself up to all the richness of emotions. You were fed in a way that satisfied, but not just by giving you the good stuff — it was deep stuff that touched all emotions and vulnerabilities, safely, without destroying you. However, when it was over, it took that part of you with it; you ceded that part of you to the experience, and now it’s been taken, used up and spent.”
I certainly feel like a part of me was taken away and I have to reclaim it. In one form or another, I feel emotionally empty, whether it is because I’ve been watching TV shows and sacrificing real-life activities to make time for them, or because the drama has activated my mirror neuron system, causing me to feel both the positive and negative experiences of the show.
“No matter how good the experience,” Raymond continues, “reality now feels empty, and you may react with grief, depression and purposelessness. It’s a tribute to the experience that it gave you so much without actually putting you through the rigors of the hero/anti-hero life. You borrowed their life, and now you have to return it.”
What are some next steps?
Raymond suggests that “Getting busy with jobs that have been put off, or an idea sparked from the book or film can boost their creative juices and move them in a positive direction,” she says. “But they’ll need to seek out more experiences like the book or film when they need to get absorbed into another world to escape the unreliability of their own.” (Source: MEL Magazine)
The tips she gives support the ones I do to get over a show I got way too invested in, and I hope they help you cope next time post-series depression hits.
1. Write a Detailed Review
After you’ve watched a show, I recommend writing a detailed review. It’s helpful to explain why you loved a show. You have to express your thoughts about it, whether it’s in a journal, a blog post or a video like AvenueX does.
2. Tell People to Watch It
Let people you think might enjoy it know about it. Let them know why you loved it and give yourself some room to talk about it just a little, as it’s something that has affected you for some reason that you’re still processing, and you need to talk about it.
3. Listen to the Original Sound Track Over and Over Again
There’s power in music too. During certain moments in the show or when associated with certain characters, the beats and melodies let us relive those moments. A good original soundtrack is lovely to listen to outside the show, and it gets you right back into the show right away. It’s even better if the show has a distributed score on Apple Music or Spotify, which is usually just an instrumental soundtrack. On a car ride or while working out, listening to the original soundtrack and score can really help you relive the joy of the show.
4. Participate in the Discussion Board for the Drama
You need to talk to other fans about the show and be validated about your feelings. Knowing that thousands of other people feel the same way you do can make you feel less alone in your passion for the show.
5. Watch All the Behind the Scenes Videos & Cast Interviews
This is a must-do. Watch bloopers, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes videos. As you watch them on YouTube, YouTube keeps recommending more and it’s one of the fastest ways to move on when you see that the actors and crew moved on from filming the show, so you can too.
6. Imagine End Scenarios
Ugh…I’m guilty of this. There’s a plus and a negative to this. It can be positive if you translate it into something positive like writing fan fiction. However, it can be negative if you find yourself daydreaming about what might have happened after the show ended. For someone as imaginative as me, I can spend hours alone doing this until I’ve burned out every ending. I’m a writer for this reason.
7. Romanticize a Future Rewatch
Okay, so if you’re gonna rewatch a show in the future, and if you’re reading a blog post like this, chances are you WILL rewatch a show. I recommend watching it differently. Either you watch it with someone else or you watch it in a different setting. Since I don’t have a TV or surround sound system, I’ve only seen Cang Lan Jue on my iPad, desktop monitor, and 10 episodes on an 80″ projector.
8. Look for a Rebound Drama
I get it, this can be challenging. At this moment, nothing can compare to your beloved show. Everything will be trash. While you’re idolizing this drama and putting it on a pedestal, the most effective way to move on is to watch another show. This will enable you to realize there are tons of worthwhile shows out there. You’ve been through this before, and you’ll get over it.
9. Edit Fan Videos or Create Fan Art
If you’re an artist, write fan fiction, edit fan videos, or create fan art. As an editor, I’ll be making a fan edit. When I was a tween, I did this for A:TLA, The Mortal Instruments, and Twilight. Now, 15 years later, I’m gonna do it again, with Cang Lan Jue.
10. Get Excited to Write My Own Stories
Another effective way to get over a show is to write your own work where you’re in control. Through writing your own world and making things happen however you want them to for however long you want, you can fall in love with the process and activate your mirror neuron system. That’s your power, and watching these dramas can inspire you to create a similar experience for others.
That's it, I hope this helps you get over your post-series depression. You'll be fine again soon! I promise. Until the next post-series depression hits.
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