Whether or not these posts are for real there is reason to believe the affliction is rooted in legitimate despair.
Writes Jo Piazza for CNN.com:
On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie.
Here are just a few of the ways people are coping on Avatar-Forums.com:
"I just watched avatar a few weeks ago and I'm feeling depressed and sad. It's like I want to reach out and be in Pandora. I'd do anything to be in Pandora. I've tried so hard to dream about me being on Pandora but it hasn't worked."
"Ever since I went to see Avatar I have been depressed. Watching the wonderful world of Pandora and all the Na'vi made me want to be one of them. I can't stop thinking about all the things that happened in the film and all of the tears and shivers I got from it. I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it I will be rebirthed in a world similar to Pandora and the everything is the same as in 'Avatar.'"
"Because, at this point, there isn't pretty much anything else that can be done. Until the release of DVD/BluRay. But even that won't take away all of the depression. Because you know you can never actually go to Pandora, as it exists only in our imagination... sigh... :("
On the fan forum site "Avatar Forums," a topic thread entitled "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible," has received more than 1,000 posts from people experiencing depression and fans trying to help them cope. The topic became so popular last month that forum administrator Philippe Baghdassarian had to create a second thread so people could continue to post their confused feelings about the movie.
Here are just a few of the ways people are coping on Avatar-Forums.com:
"I just watched avatar a few weeks ago and I'm feeling depressed and sad. It's like I want to reach out and be in Pandora. I'd do anything to be in Pandora. I've tried so hard to dream about me being on Pandora but it hasn't worked."
"Ever since I went to see Avatar I have been depressed. Watching the wonderful world of Pandora and all the Na'vi made me want to be one of them. I can't stop thinking about all the things that happened in the film and all of the tears and shivers I got from it. I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it I will be rebirthed in a world similar to Pandora and the everything is the same as in 'Avatar.'"
"Because, at this point, there isn't pretty much anything else that can be done. Until the release of DVD/BluRay. But even that won't take away all of the depression. Because you know you can never actually go to Pandora, as it exists only in our imagination... sigh... :("
Avatar was released December 18th, 2009 and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Joel Moore, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Laz Alonso. The film is directed by James Cameron.
Comments (103)
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Illuminati
That psychologist hit the nail on the head. These are people who are already depressed/have issues in their lives. The post film experience only heightens what's lacking.
If someone is lacking romance they'll probably feel even worse after a good romantic film!
pretty simple stuff, but this overloaded hype is hilarious!
2 years agoby @illuminatiFlag
Auna
Jezz get a life.Anything to hype the movie.I don't believe them and yet there is a Jedi temple in London so.......Go to grand canyon or something and see what reality is or go to the amazon if you don't get enough.This is a movie.Grow up..sorry wake up
2 years agoby @aunaFlag
B3njamin
LOL now THAT is a FAIL. Someone has obviously not seen Planet Earth from BBC
2 years agoby @b3njaminFlag
Oli
I loved the movie, but people need to chill out lol...
2 years agoby @reviloleeFlag
saki123
good point,and if those same people go to another planet,they're just going to f*ck it up they way they did this planet,like you said,just stay here and make this one better
2 years agoby @saki123Flag
Bignarutofan19
Ha ha! You've got to be kidding me! People are actually thinking of committing SUICIDE?! Honestly, do these people not realize that James Cameron got most of his ideas for most of what is on Pandora from the planet we live on? Wake up people! You already live on a planet that has amazing creatures, beautiful plants and wonderful landscape, but you just need to open your eyes and see that! Either that or you're just too lazy to help this planet and you would rather 'move' to another planet.
2 years agoby @bignarutofan19Flag
saki123
all of the above,the story is nothing new.and come on,using robots or avatars to interact with others,sound like surrogates?
2 years agoby @saki123Flag
spynet315
@saki123 "a group of natives are sitting on something we want,then we use military force to move them,then they fight back and win,sound familiar?"
Are you referring to Fern Gully? Or maybe even Pocahontas? Or could that even be an allusion to the Ewoks in Return of the Jedi?
2 years agoby @spynet315Flag
saki123
a group of natives are sitting on something we want,then we use military force to move them,then they fight back and win,sound familiar?
2 years agoby @saki123Flag
saki123
i mean the movie was good,but come on,i actually would would of wanted to go see the lord of the rings trilogy back to back rather than avatar,avatar was good,but lets see cameron make 3 of them back to back,when he does then we'll talk,until then great special effects,but the story he used to make the movie has been done countless times.
2 years agoby @saki123Flag
Wwcnd
"what a f*cking loosers this bitches are, why don't they ge a f*cking life or something instead of just saying sh*t, i mean how in the f*cking hell u gonna feel depressed about this movie. F*cking loosers"
well put. I'm not sure what's more pathetic: developing suicidal feelings after watching a movie, or developing homicidal feelings towards those people. Like you've all said, GET A LIFE.
2 years agoby @wwcndFlag
saki123
dude,did we learn nothing from constantine,if you kill yourself you wont go to pandora or some fruity place like that, you go straight to hell,dumb asses.
2 years agoby @saki123Flag
LuxoIII
...whatever
2 years agoby @brady1138Flag
Brian
Ha. Agreed @andrewryan.
2 years agoby @brianFlag
T.Clark
"Cansomeone say: "Publicity stunt"!!!"
I don't think revealing your movie makes people suicidal is the best marketing campaign, Cell.
2 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag
DaleJr88AmpFan
i haven't seen Avatar yet but now I really want to just for the fact that I can come back home and commit suicide...geez, people, get a f*cking life...this is really pathetic...anything to get people to see it...people will now go see it for the first time or fortieth time just to see if they will be depressed or suicidal...I agree with Goliath...if they had thoughts like that after the film, then they more than likely had the same exact thoughts BEFORE they went to see it...geeeeeeeeeeeeeeez....I know quite a few people that saw it and they are fine...well, to a point..lol...my son saw it and he isn't depressed or suicidal....
2 years agoby @dalejr88ampfanFlag
caifa
what a f*cking loosers this bitches are, why don't they ge a f*cking life or something instead of just saying sh*t, i mean how in the f*cking hell u gonna feel depressed about this movie. F*cking loosers
2 years agoby @caifaFlag
wizdome
This is stupid ~ Pandora is such a hostile environment that even the Navi themselves have had generations of experience to adapt. Give me the urban sprawl. And like everyone else on this forum has said - ITS A MOVIE PEOPLE!
2 years agoby @wizdomeFlag
spynet315
I wanted to kill myself after I saw Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but that was for a completely different reason.
2 years agoby @spynet315Flag
Diaigma
People. It's a movie. Winter is a high depression season anyway.
Can you really blame a movie for that?
Common people. Backbone! :P
2 years agoby @diaigmaFlag
Jipeman
Oh good Christ. I wish those people WOULD kill themselves. "I long to live on Pandora among the Na'vi and be eaten by a giant f*cking plant or a rabid dogosaur." Honestly, I'm a little disturbed that a large part of our population is apparently too imbalanced to return to life because they saw a Cameron flick. How did these people survive The Abyss?! Shouldn't they have offed themselves long before True Lies hit the big screen? Hey assh*le, it's a 180-minute 3-D movie, not a subliminal f*cking brainwashing session! Get over it right now or go paint yourself blue, throw yourself off a cliff, and hope a f*cking pterodactyl swoops in to break your fall.
2 years agoby @jipemanFlag
Goliath
Yeah, that's exactly what I thought after I saw it, I came home and was mulling over suicide with a shot gun in hand and realized...It's just a freaking movie!
If people we're really contemplating suicide after the movie, they were thinking about it before too.
2 years agoby @goliathFlag
The Kwisatz Haderach
some people are jsut nuts, its a movie,
2 years agoby @the-kwisatz-haderachFlag
The Boondock Saint
if this movie made people depressed, then they should stay away from THE ROAD. depressing as hell.........
2 years agoby @combatmadness360Flag
PUNISHER
This is f*cking hilarious. If this makes you want to kill yourself then f*cking DO IT!!!!
2 years agoby @cerealkillerFlag
AngryPerson
This is just sad. Suicide over a movie is just umm STUPID..... I admitted that avatar is good, but to die for? A reboot would be nice, but I would rather wish for James Cameron to make Battle Angel.
2 years agoby @angrypersonFlag
saki123
give me a f*cking break,just a bunch of losers trying to get noticed,i will admit the movie was fantastic looking but thats it,it was just a movie,and think about it,people actually want to to this planet where virtually every living organisim will want to kill you,doesnt sound like a good place to me
2 years agoby @saki123Flag
u1sart
I tell you man< this film is such a break thru for future films to come.. as i notice ever film company are moving towards 3d. other companies wanting to reboot movies to make it like avatar. wow not ppl want to commit suicide over it... damnnn .... seriously i think i put Avatar to another level.
2 years agoby @u1sartFlag
Brian Gallagher
I'm watching you, @jasonbourne49. Stealing catchphrases is a federal offense... on Pandora...
Here, how bout this one, Fallen: "Autobots, roll out!" Oh, wait...
2 years agoby @gallagherFlag
Mushy
If I was 5 I might have gotten got caught up in what is essentially a pedestrian walk through DANCES WITH WOLVES in space.
Thank you THE FALLEN.
MovieWeb is yours...
-Mushy '10
2 years agoby @mushyFlag