Cinema experience

Started by Libby183, December 11, 2018, 09:59:29 AM

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Libby183

I have been thinking about my visit to the cinema at the weekend, with respect to CPTSD.

I hadn't been to a cinema for years, but a new, luxury one has opened and my husband was keen to try it.

It was a good experience and I liked the extra space around the seats, compared to older cinemas. So a good experience all round.

What wasn't so great was how hard it was to sleep that night. It was as if my nervous system had gone into absolute, scary overdrive.

The film was the current one about the rock group Queen, so it was both very emotionally triggering in itself, as the story of a trouble soul, but also triggering with regards to my own associations.

On top of that, the quality of the sound and pictures was very "over stimulating".

Why I have waffled on about this is that I wonder whether it was the emotional or the physical aspects which caused such a reaction in me.

In the past, I would have vowed to avoid the cinema, but I am doing so well atm, and did enjoy it, that I have decided to try again, but see a really light hearted type film. Then I can work out what I can tolerate.

Just wondered if anyone else recognised this type of situation.

Eyessoblue

Hi Libby, yes me too, in fact when I go to the cinema I have to wear ear plugs! As stupid as this sounds it keeps the volume and intensity down for me, I still struggle with the brightness of some of the films tho. I also have to have an aisle seat so I can get out easily if I need to, but the ear plugs really help me plus I have long hair so no one can see I'm wearing them! By the way I saw the film too, thought it was amazing and very very sad.

LilyITV

 :cheer: Just wanted to say good for you on your progress. This sounds like a major accomplishment!

Libby183

Hi, Eyessoblue.

Lovely to hear from you, and hoping very much that things are going OK for you.

I really like the earplug idea. I will certainly try that next time, and we were sat very near the huge screen - next time, I will head for the back. I think that both of these things will help. It will be interesting, as well, to see if a less emotionally triggering film makes a difference. The whole Live Aid sequence took me back to who I was at the time, and to my extreme unhappiness, and to the fact of how unpleasant I was then. So a nice, fluffy film next time!

Thanks for your encouragement, LilyITV. It means a lot! It's amazing how something so everyday as going to the cinema, can be such a big thing when dealing with CPTSD.

Rainagain

I went to a musical a month or two ago.

By the end I was wrecked. Too loud, too long, too many people. I felt trapped, claustrophobic, over stimulated, quite panicky and distressed, for hours.....

At the interval I nearly bolted but had given others a lift, nasty.

It was a very good show but it was a very uncomfortable experience that I won't ever do again.

Took days to calm back down.