Doctor Who can help mental health and lockdown anxiety

Well, yes and no?

I think it depends on if you like Doctor Who. Certainly your favorite entertainment can go a long way toward helping you de-stress. I'm just not sure I agree that it's certain traits common to Doctor Who. Like you wouldn't just be like "Take two episodes and call me in the morning" for someone who's got no interest. The article lists off a bunch of qualities the show has that makes it suited for this purpose, but it's really a matter of taste, surely.

Everyone needs some escapism and wonder to take their mind off the troubles of life. But it can take many forms. One of my biggest rays of sunshine during this pandemic has been auto racing (though the season's winding down now), because I can just relax and enjoy and it brings my family together. And that's exactly what Doctor Who can do, too, if that's your thing.

Mostly just this, but I will say that there are definitely some "mental health" themes you can read into some Who stories, as well as some great hopeful stories for dreary times. But you could say that about a lot of other franchises, too. Avatar TLA, for instance - there's a show that has plenty of hope and learning and conquering the darkness!

I think it's a great point. I'm kind of touchy about entertainment - I'm like causality is with Torchwood, not for the faint of heart, lol - but Doctor Who always manages to find a way to take some of the edge off even when it's being really serious, there's usually a lighter note in there somewhere that I think is very healthy.

I also think this is true even if you're not already a fan, and that was one of the main things that lured me back to Doctor Who after many years away, is that there is so much of it that you can really get engrossed in it and binge on it without running yourself out of it, which I think is great especially if people end up with lots of time on their hands due to whatever reason

I find some of the actors very reassuring, though. Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davidson - they're all like a warmhearted kindly uncle who reassures me that everything is going to work out alright and I believe them even for what a great big cynic I am. I'm not getting to watch much TV lately but I'm doing a lot of imagining I'm binging on Third Doctor episodes. Thirteen is another Doctor whose very presence I somehow find particularly reassuring. She can be my kindly aunt, lol.

I've had so much unpleasant stuff happen the last five years that it's about made me a basket case, but I don't doubt I'd be a complete basket case right now if it weren't for Doctor Who and Big Finish especially.