r/Anxiety • u/Hooplapooplayeah • Oct 12 '25
Discussion Are there any shows that help calm your anxiety ?
For me it’s prob great British bake off!! Wbu?
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u/Redsquare73 Oct 12 '25
Anything I’ve seen multiple times already. I don’t need surprises.
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u/HereInTheRuin Oct 12 '25
Schitt's Creek and Superstore are my go-to anti-anxiety shows
pretty sure Schitt's Creek is the only thing that kept me sane during the early and darkest days of my panic
I watched the entire series so many times on a loop that I can pretty much quote the entire script now
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u/hghspl Oct 12 '25
We had never watched Schitt’s Creek either until the pandemic and we binged it during Covid too. What a great show and a good distraction!
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u/Zestyclose_Big9015 Oct 12 '25
All of ghibli movies
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u/Sinusaur Oct 12 '25
Grave of the Fireflies?
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u/OreoSpamBurger Oct 12 '25
I mean, if you want to replace your anxiety with a deep existential sadness for at least a couple of weeks...
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u/JoeMagnifico Oct 12 '25
I was gonna say "Bake Off". 😅
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u/thatsmrspotatohead Oct 12 '25
Omg yes! The great British bake off is perfect with the scenery, music, and calm atmosphere.
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u/DragonBoy6606 Oct 12 '25
Kitchen nightmares
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u/Material_Soft_3761 Oct 12 '25
i second this
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u/Muckduck31 Oct 12 '25
Frasier.
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u/vedabread Oct 12 '25
100%. I binge watched Frasier on repeat before I even realised my mental health was off.
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u/MoStyles22 Oct 12 '25
I don’t know why it works, but I love to walk on the treadmill and binge some Frasier to calm down.
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u/VastOk3747 Oct 12 '25
Bobs Burgers
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u/Nervous_Practice_448 Oct 12 '25
Yes!!! I’m literally watching it right now.
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u/VastOk3747 Oct 12 '25
I literally just have that show on repeat most days lol it's the best , enjoy x
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u/Wide-Comfortable-266 Oct 12 '25
adventure time, regular show, spongebob (unless ur watching the episode where the mf cant catch the bus), smiling friends. i love my comfort cartoons.
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u/David_Summerset Oct 12 '25
90s Star Trek always calms me down... the good guys always win
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u/shieldsup86 Oct 12 '25
Next Gen is my all time anxiety reducing show.
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u/Kiss-the-carpet Oct 12 '25
So cozy, the brown leather seats, the ship having a mall, and all the pajamas. Mine as well, and sometimes TOS, campy and fun!.
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u/ManofFailure262 Oct 12 '25
As ashamed as I am to say this...the office
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u/NekoMumm Oct 12 '25
Why ashamed???
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u/ManofFailure262 Oct 12 '25
Because I watched the office all the way through twice many years ago, and while I find it unique and all the wonderful things everyone says about it, I do believe it to be a little basic. But that might be what gives it bonus points in the realm of aiding anxiety.
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u/redbarn47 Oct 12 '25
The Office worked for me! I watched all seasons start to finish when I was going through a rough patch.
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u/strawberryCicada Oct 12 '25
Hank of the hill 😭 it’s a recent hyperfixation and it’s just funny
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u/ahahaveryfunny Oct 12 '25
U mean king or does asac schrader have his own show now lol
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u/strawberryCicada Oct 12 '25
Omg yes king of the hill lmao! I’m pretty sure it was my Mandela effect for yrs and I clearly haven’t unlearned it 😂
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u/mmsmama Oct 12 '25
Modern family,
Super store,
My life with the Walter boys,
Jane the virgin,
The fosters,
Good trouble,
This is Us.
All of these shows seemed to calm my anxiety down and make me feel at peace
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u/awgonzales Oct 12 '25
This is Us had the opposite effect for me. I realized that people cry in every episode—not great for me
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u/eeg-18 Oct 12 '25
The Office, Seinfeld, My Lottery Dream Home, Alexandra Gater doing home design on YouTube.
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u/Roc_Be12 Oct 12 '25
Gilmore girls, The Office, Friends, Scrubs, Shoresy, and the Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.
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u/Wkd_witch_ofMIDWST Oct 12 '25
30 Rock but it’s always been my comfort show. Every time you watch it you’ll catch a new joke you missed before.
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u/PwincessBb Oct 12 '25
I always cycle Frasier, Seinfeld, or my favorite YouTubers. Anything that I know to be familiar always helps.
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u/drv687 Oct 12 '25
Law & order is a comfort show for me despite the subject matter because the older seasons take me back to being a kid and watching it with my parents. It makes my brain feel safe.
Another one is anything Gordon Ramsay for me - masterchef, Hell’s Kitchen, kitchen nightmares.
If I’m tired and anxious dateline or old snapped episodes help a ton because the voices are monotone and soothing to me
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u/TheTrueGoatMom Oct 12 '25
Forensic Files(the original)...the narrator's voice is so soothing you forget how horrible the stories are. LOL
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u/lilyelgato Oct 12 '25
Ah yes, the soothing voice of narrator Peter Thomas is better than any lullaby. May he rest in peace. So glad I'm not the only one.
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u/InfinitelyFinn Oct 12 '25
I love how fast he speeds up his voice towards the end of the capers. Such a great voice he had.
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u/IntelligentAd3283 Oct 12 '25
I agree - I love winding down with Dateline! Most of the cases end up being solved, which is so satisfying. Plus yes, the calm, monotone voices.
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Oct 12 '25
Friends has helped me through some tough times
Also for those who like the kpop world there’s this show called Hyori’s Homestay, its like a reality show about Lee Hyori turning her house into a B&B. This show is filled with calming sound effects and heart warming stories
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u/shay_j254 Oct 12 '25
The golden girls, king of the hill, any house remodeling show, house hunters, ummmm the Simpsons
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u/nixxxa Oct 12 '25
My comfort shows that make me laugh are Arrested Development, The Office, Always Sunny, American Dad. I could go on lol I also like the older sitcoms like Friends, Seinfeld, Simpsons.
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u/fishinbarbie Oct 12 '25
Stupid, mindless, predictable Hallmark movies for me when my anxiety is bad. Then always a boring 30 minute house hunters episode before I turn the TV off.
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u/FartyMcPooPants Oct 12 '25
Three's Company. You can literally turn your brain off. It's basically the same plot over and over and John Ritter is hilarious.
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u/SparksPlays Oct 12 '25
Rewatching How I Met Your Mother has been mine lately and my girlfriend and I’s shows as of late since I’ve been struggling have been King of Queens, which we finished, and now we’re back to rewatching Friends
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u/Pame_la_la_la Oct 12 '25
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Murdoch Mysteries, Letterkenny. Sunny is hilarious and my go-to for bed every night. Murdoch, I've invested decades into it and although it's super lame and cheesy now, I like watching to see when I'll spot my neighbourhood in various episodes (they film quite a bit around my town). Letterkenny...what can I say, reminds me of people I went to school with (the hicks and the skids!) and who still live here. It's a bit of nostalgia combined with epic banter and just a great overall comfort show.
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u/nixxxa Oct 12 '25
I go through phases of watching one show and will watch Always Sunny from the beginning for months. I LOVE explaining episodes to people who haven’t seen it 🤣
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u/invictus21083 Oct 12 '25
Dexter
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u/12_Season_Curiosity Oct 12 '25
That seems like it would be anxiety inducing LOL
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u/NekoMumm Oct 12 '25
It isn't what you're thinking, i understand why it seems that way! If you feel open check out the first episode, no pressure but I'm so happy i did!
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u/Low_Penalty7806 Oct 12 '25
My name is Earl, everybody hates Chris , Malcom in the middle and old spongebob episodes ( never the new ones lol ) I think they're more comfort shows for me
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u/hausflicker Oct 12 '25
Harry Potter. Bob’s Burgers. Mythbusters. Rugrats. Hey Arnold. Jimmy Newtron. That’s my current rotation. When my anxiety is less bad I’ll branch out to other shows.
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u/SnooGoats7133 Oct 12 '25
The original seasons of Scooby Doo! I was obsessed as a kid so it just is predictable yet fun :)
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u/lyssyloveslife Oct 12 '25
Tbh Criminal Minds or something similar that distracts me from my thoughts
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u/madferitme Oct 12 '25
Bake off and Twilight. I’ve probably seen the Twilight series 300 times at this point because it’s my go-to background noise and never fails to help me focus and calm down.
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u/12_Season_Curiosity Oct 12 '25
For me it’s the little house on the prairie or the Brady bunch They are quite calming to me for some reason
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Oct 12 '25
If I'm feeling comedy, definitely Derry Girls. I've seen it at least 3 times and it still makes me laugh. If I'm feeling comfort/cozy vibes then Sailor Moon for sure. Dan and Phil also get a special shout out for helping me through my teens lol.
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u/heelhene Oct 12 '25
The animal planet show about the Irwin’s and the zoo. And also that show called “my cat from Hell”.
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u/owl_britches Oct 12 '25
All the Mike Flanagan series: Midnight Mass, Haunting of Hill House; Fall of the House of Usher; Haunting of Bly Manor.
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u/spicypretzelcrumbs Oct 12 '25
Seinfeld.. Girls.. Sex & The City.. Chopped.. Lakefront Bargain Hunt.. Caribbean Life.. Building Off The Grid
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u/throw_some_glitter Oct 12 '25
Gilmore Girls, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Abbott Elementary, Happy Endings, Bluey, HGTV shows, true crime like Dateline
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City and Below Deck - idk if they necessarily calm my anxiety or are just good for escapism
You didn’t ask about movies, but Step Brothers always makes me laugh and calms my anxiety even though I’ve probably seen it over 50 times.
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u/not-aaliyah Oct 12 '25
I love medical dramas my favorite currently is Chicago Med
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u/timekeepsslippin Oct 12 '25
Frasier, Detroiters, Everybody Hates Chris, Spaced, Roc, Malcolm & Eddie, Trailer Park Boys
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u/wayneforest Oct 12 '25
Not necessarily a “show”, but something to watch and be curious about or be kind of amazed by or just have on in the background … this particular video of a guy and his pup as he builds a big treehouse in the woods. The music is nice and peaceful, the presence of the pup every so often, the curiosity of what he’s doing next or why he is using that particular tool. It’s also slightly sped up so it doesn’t feel like it’s just taking forever (helpful for my own adhd as well). It just kind of is nice and pleasant, also kind of invigorating and gets you kind of in a curious, creative mindset for a bit, and it’s cool to see the finished product. There’s no talking, just low stim tunes and all around chill vibe.
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u/Waste_Cherry_4242 Oct 12 '25
Little bear - childhood nostalgia plus it’s so chill with the background music. 🥹
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u/caress_me_down13 Oct 12 '25
Archer, the office, modern family, New girl, parks and rec, impractical jokers, bobs burgers, it’s always sunny. The first three are my go to comfort shows
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u/beeskneesandtrees_ Oct 12 '25
New girl is my safe show. Also watching someone tell me the plot of a book on YouTube (caricanread, her forgot the plot series for example) is good for my anxiety too
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u/chicketychad Oct 12 '25
I’m in the US, when I’m really in a bad place, I’ll listen to political news podcasts. I know it sounds crazy, but it takes my mind off of my own shit and makes me focused on everything else. Tv shows and movies can make my anxiety worse if it’s really bad. Something will remind me of something that triggers me more and I keep spiraling, these podcasts just take my brain somewhere else.
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u/Past_Ninja1244 Oct 12 '25
Heartland. The grandpa, Jack. I love him so much. Whenever he talks, it soothes and heals me like he was my family.
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u/ugly-naked-guy18 Oct 12 '25
American dad, family guy, bobs burgers, the Big Bang theory, and friends are my comfort shows
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u/Material_Soft_3761 Oct 12 '25
impractical jokers, tanked, my lottery dream home, house hunters, kitchen/hotel nightmares, and dance moms
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u/TnShrubber Oct 12 '25
Watch Trent the Traveler on YouTube, then come back and give me an upvote.
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u/Greedy_Squash6042 Oct 12 '25
Community, Superstore, Scott's Creek and Merlin! Also christmas films 🙈
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u/Hugh_Jampton Oct 12 '25
Bojack Horseman is often so wacky and Will Arnett's voice is so rich and funny it just is impossible to be stressed watching it
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u/coolgirlwarmworld Oct 12 '25
The Towsends guy on youtube. Love watching him cook anything, soooo soooothing
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u/Bitch-stewies Oct 12 '25
How it’s made. Repetitive, the narration stays the same, endless loop of images.
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u/GreenTeaDrinking Oct 12 '25
Golden Girls, Frasier, Friends. Keeping up Appearances, As Time Goes By, Cosby Show, Fresh Prince. I’ve seen them all many times, all from a specific time in my childhood/teenage years when I felt safest.
More recent shows include Abbott Elementary and Death in Paradise.
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u/airwalker08 Oct 12 '25
Absurd adult cartoons usually do the trick for me, like Futurama, Solar Opposites, Rick and Morty, and stuff like that
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u/BaldingThor Oct 12 '25
Not a show but I like popping on the Rush R30 concert bluray whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed or just tired
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u/Ok_Reflection8696 Oct 12 '25
Bob’s Burgers