Relatable Movies For People With Social Anxiety [2024]

Social anxiety is one of the most concerning mental health disorders that shouldn’t be ignored. It is a serious disorder that has become a highly discussed condition these days. While the media has been working non-stop to spread awareness about social anxiety and its challenges; Hollywood, it turns out, has been highlighting social anxiety for nearly a decade.

Social anxiety is not introversion or shyness, it is more than that. This disorder causes people to fear social interactions with others. It makes people feel uncomfortable, uneasy, and distressed – all the time. This fear refuses to go away and continuously makes the lives of people with it difficult.

There are many treatment options available to help people with social anxiety. Some people choose to seek professional help while some try to help themselves by bringing changes in their lifestyles.

Also Read: Do I Need Therapy? 5 Signs You Need To See A Therapist

Knowing you aren’t alone can help you feel comfort and support. Filmmakers have not been shy when it comes to highlighting social anxiety in films as a real and serious disorder. However, social anxiety is difficult to depict on-screen as the symptoms of the disorders categorized under the umbrella of social anxiety are few and far in between.

But this small glitch hasn’t stopped the filmmakers from producing, writing, and directing films to help spread awareness of this disorder. Here are some of the most relatable movies about social anxiety that you should watch.

7 Movies on Social Anxiety You Should Watch

1. The King’s Speech (2010)

 Director: Tom Hooper

Oscar winner for the best picture in 2010, this movie depicts King George VI (played by Colin Firth) not as an impassive royal but simply as a man. He has anxiety and trouble with public speaking and has a speech disorder- stuttering. As a royal, as a ruling monarch, he is told by his advisors that he is not fit to be a monarch. Facing a difficult predicament, King George asks assistance from a speech therapist, Lionel Logue (played by Geoffrey Rush). During his treatment, King George and Lionel Logue develop a strong bond.

Also Read: 20 Best Inspirational Movies on Netflix to Motivate You

This movie is based on the true story of King George VI’s life and at the end of the movie, the audience watches as the monarch learns how to cope with his disorder and become a formidable man.

This movie about social anxiety is about how a man, not a royal or a monarch, works alongside his therapist to overcome his social anxiety and regain his confidence by employing the coping mechanisms provided by his therapist.

2. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

Director: Michel Gondry

This movie about social anxiety follows a man (living with social anxiety) who meets a woman who is the opposite of him. The 2004 movie depicts Joel (played by Jim Carrey) and his relationship with Clementine (played by Kate Winslet).

Joel is an unfriendly and isolated man who prefers to be alone than in the company of others. Clementine is a free spirit, with a quirky personality, who is helping and “saving” Joel from himself. While their interactions are difficult and challenging but the director’s zest to play with such challenges is commendable.

Also Read: Top 15 Inspirational Movies To Fight Depression

Strangely enough, this movie isn’t about one character helping the other to overcome their illness but a realistic portrayal of two people with different personalities as they try to co-exist.

3. Amélie (2001)

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Amelie is a French film that presents an intriguing take on social anxiety. In this 2001 film on social anxiety, Amelie (played by Audrey Tautou) desires to influence others’ lives in positive ways instead of changing hers. The film explores positive manipulation as Amelie performs them from afar. She is not comfortable with herself but she still decides on embarking on a personal journey to find herself.

Also Read: Top 10 Uplifting Movies On Netflix That Could Change Your Life

Amelie, the movie, is about self-discovery and how small gestures of positivity can bring heartwarming results. Even with her vulnerability as a shining beacon, Amelie, the woman, plows through that to find her true self, a self she is comfortable with.

4. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Director: Jared Hess

This is an independent film on social anxiety that paints a picture of social awkwardness making this movie a quirky comedy. Deb (played by Tine Majorino) is Napoleon’s friend with social anxiety while Napoleon (played by Jon Heder) is naturally awkward.

Napoleon doesn’t really care what people think about him but Deb cares. She is portrayed as an uncomfortable woman from almost the beginning of the movie.

If you relate to social anxiety, this movie is a must-watch.

5. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Barry Egan (played by Adam Sandler) is a man living with anxiety and is prone to outbursts more than any other character. He is shown as a man who has poor conduct towards others and is remarkably self-conscious.

In this 2002 social anxiety film, Barry’s seven sisters are seen treating him poorly and it highlights the question; how much does family conduct affect someone with social anxiety/anxiety?

6. Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Director: James Mangold

This 1999 movie is one of the remarkable movies of all time, in my opinion. This story is about a teenage girl Susanna (played by Winona Ryder) who is admitted to Claymoore, a mental institution after she was caught in a suicide attempt on herself. At Claymoore, she befriends a group of troubled women and forms a close bond with Lisa (played by Angelina Jolie).

Girl, interrupted is all about the trouble of not fitting in and not knowing what or where your life is taking you. It points out the issue of panic attacks, anxiety, and feeling of not belonging anywhere.

7. The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty (2013)

Director: Ben Stiller

If you have social anxiety or relate to it in any way, this movie is a must-watch. This 2013 movie about social anxiety features Ben Stiller as Walter who lives a dull life but dreams about romantic and action-filled life to find an escape from his monotonous life.

This movie depicts how a man with social anxiety sets out on a journey of self-reflection and self-discovery when his job is in peril. This movie is based on the book (1939) of the same name by author James Thurber.

8.Nerve (2011)

Director: J.R. Sawyers

A movie about social anxiety, Nerve follows Josh Briggs (Played by Tyler Langdon), a young man with social anxiety. He agrees to be a subject of an experiment for the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Josh hopes that by being part of this experiment, his troubles will end. Little does he know that Josh is about to go through a battle.

9.Adaptation (2002)

Director: Spike Jonze

Charlie Kaufman (played by Nicholas Cage) is a screenwriter who struggles to adapt Susan Orlean’s (Played by Meryl Streep) book about John Laroche (Played by Chris Cooper) who clones rare orchids and sells them. Charlie struggles with social anxiety and a lack of confidence. When asked to write this adaptation for the screen, he faces writer’s block.

With his twin Donald’s help, he struggles to find inspiration but things take a turn. This movie about social anxiety is fun to watch and with a dual performance by Nicholas Cage, Adaptation is a movie you should add to your watchlist today.

10.Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

Director: Craig Gillespie

Lars and the Real Girl is a 2007 Canadian-American romantic comedy-drama film that follows Lars (Played by Ryan Gosling), a kind-hearted but socially awkward young man who develops a romantic yet nonsexual relationship with an anatomically correct sex doll, a “RealDoll” named Bianca.

This movie for social anxiety and social awkwardness starts as fun and quirky but gradually becomes interesting and psychological. Lars is an extremely introverted man with low self-esteem. Watching this film will help you discover the feelings of the main character and sympathize with him.

11.One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Director: Milos Forman

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a 1975 American psychological comedy-drama film and stars Jack Nicholson as Randle McMurphy, a new patient at a mental institution. To escape prison labor, McMurphy fakes insanity and is shifted to the special ward for the mentally unstable. In this ward, he needs to face a cruel nurse, Nurse Ratched (played by Louise Fletcher).

This 1975 movie on social anxiety is a tale of rebellion and conformity, maturity and immaturity, and how we determine and treat mental disorders. If you’re looking for a film that will make you ask questions and think – then you need to add this movie on social anxiety to your list.

12.The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Director: Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a 2012 American coming-of-age drama film that features Logan Lerman as Charlie and his trials, tribulations, and triumphs as he goes through his freshman year of high school. The movie highlights Charlie’s struggles with his unaddressed post-traumatic stress disorder.

Charlie is an introvert and is nervous about starting school. As you watch the movie, you experience Charlie’s social awkwardness and his struggles to make new friends. This movie advocates and celebrates inclusivity and tolerance by showing how people can grow when they are accepted for who they are.

13.Dead Poets Society (1989)

Director: Peter Weir

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film starring Robin Williams as John Keating, an English teacher who inspires his students in the art of self-expression through his teaching of poetry. One of my favorite movies on struggles of accepting oneself through creative self-expression, Dead Poets Society is a must-watch for all looking for a thought-provoking movie.

This is an emotionally stimulating story that will encourage you to think, feel, and connect with the characters.

If you’re looking for a thought-provoking story with a touching character, then Nerve can be a good choice.

Celebrities With Social Anxiety

There are some celebrities that deserve a special shout out for fighting against social anxiety and doing great things despite their disorder:

1. Oprah Winfrey – anxiety

 “In the beginning, it was just sort of speeding and a kind of numbness and going from one thing to the next thing to the next thing,”

2. Stephen Colbert – panic attacks

“Creating something is what helped me from just spinning apart like an unweighted flywheel. And I haven’t stopped since.”

3. Busy Philipps – anxiety

“I’m proud to wear my anxiety around my neck for everyone to see. I work very hard daily to push through it and not let it get the best of my day.”

4. Kristen Stewart – panic attacks

“I obviously hope everything going on right now will work out, but I am confident that life is good and I’ll be OK whatever happens.”

 5. Kristen Bell – depression and anxiety

“I still take it today and I have no shame in that because my mom had said to me, ‘If you start to feel this way, talk to your doctor, talk to a psychologist, see how you want to help yourself.’”

6. Miley Cyrus – anxiety

“Then the anxiety started coming from anxiety. I would be with my friends, thinking I should be having so much fun. You get in this hole that seems like you’re never going to be able to get out of.”

7. Sarah Silverman – panic attack

“Every breath is labored. You are dying. You are going to die. It’s terrifying. And then when the attack is over, the depression is still there.”

8. Emma Stone –  panic attacks

“When I was about 7, I was convinced the house was burning down. I could sense it. Not a hallucination, just a tightening in my chest, feeling I couldn’t breathe like the world was going to end. There were some flare-ups like that, but my anxiety was constant.”

9. Demi Lovato – panic attack & anxiety

“The only thing that sucks about being in the public eye is doing some appearances. I don’t like award shows. Sometimes a fan will come up and automatically put their arms around me, and I just shut down and start hyperventilating.”

10. Dan Harris – panic attack

“Meditation is a doable, realistic, scientifically researched way to get significantly happier, calmer, and nicer,”

Let us know in the comments; what your favorite movie on social anxiety is and which celebrity you drew inspiration from. We look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Until then, stay happy, stay healthy, and stay safe

Next Read:

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• Interesting Social Anxiety Facts That You Should Know
• Finding Jobs For People With Social Anxiety?
• What is Social Anxiety or Social Phobia? Causes and Symptoms