PBS: This Emotional Life (2009)

Every day, it seems, some new study reveals a previously hidden epidemic of depression, anxiety, or other psychological problem. At the root of the confusion lies three key questions: What is biological, what is cultural, and what can we do when things go wrong? After centuries of assuming that we humans, with our mysterious minds and messy emotions, were just not fit subjects for study, science has developed some startling insights into human nature. This three-part series, produced by WGBH and Vulcan Productions, takes viewers on an in-depth tour of the science of human emotions in an effort to truly understand what makes us tick. Using the latest cutting edge research from neuroscience, startling observations from social science and experts in psychology, This Emotional Life will explore the biological need for social relationships, how to manage negative feelings, and the search for greater happiness, unveiling a new understanding of what it means to be human.
Family, Friends & Lovers
How and why are relationships central to our emotional well-being? In this episode, the story of a young boy adopted from a Russian orphanage illustrates how child-caregiver attachments beginning in the very first days of life lay the groundwork for future relationships. Also, new parents struggle with a newborn baby
, a couple grapples with a troubled marriage, a grown man learns to thrive with Asperger's syndrome, and more-all demonstrating the importance of social connections and relationships.
Facing Our Fears
Some emotions-such as anger, sadness, and fear-may be seen as obstacles to happiness. This episode explores where these "negative emotions" come from, how they are important to our lives, and why, for many of us, they sometimes require attention and management. The stories include a woman whose inability to control her temper is jeopardizing her relationships, and a teenager trying to overcome depression. Veterans and their families struggle with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and search for treatment.
Rethinking Happiness
Why does happiness seem so hard to achieve for many of us? What is it? Why is it important? This episode features stories of people facing hard situations: job loss, a cancer diagnosis, the death of a child, an accident, and common struggles of everyday life, as well as remarkable stories of resilience, such as a Vietnam veteran who survived for years as a POW. Understanding how some people can bounce back after they experience disaster sheds light on how all people.

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