Nine Psychology Documentaries I Love

Since 2008, I've been teaching psychology classes as an adjunct off and on at a local university.  It's a job that I adore.  I love everything about psychology.  I enjoy reading psych, listening to psych podcasts, and of course, watching psych movies. 

I know I've had some readers over the years who also enjoy psychology, so I thought I'd share some documentaries that have relevance in the field of psychology, but also teach great information.

1.  Babies - this film follows four babies in four completely different cultures.  It's cute and charming and funny.  Bottom line:  regardless of what privileges a kid has their first year, they all develop in the same way.

2.  Crazy, Sexy Cancer - Kris Carr is one of the most inspiring health gurus I know.  She has such a dynamic personality that you will be completely wrapped up in watching this documentary about her fight with cancer.

3.  The Lobotomist - this is a little gory, so viewer be wary.  However, it shows how far we've come in mental health treatments.

4.  Secrets of the Wild Child - this is a great documentary for both human development and the development of language.  A tragic story of Jeanie, who was unsocialized for years due to child abuse.  Once discovered, she fell into the hands of science, and continued to deal with adversity.  This film will remind you of why ethics are so important in research.

5.  Thin.  This film goes into a therapeutic eating disorder community in Florida, and follows several women throughout their treatment.  You will see how difficult it is for those with eating disorders to embrace a healthier life.

6.  Brain Games - this is a fun one.  It will make you ponder the way your brain works with new appreciation.

7.  Coma - follow four individuals as they struggle to recover from comas.  This will show you more about how the brain works, how fragile it is, and also how it can regenerate and recover.

8.  Happy Valley - A look at addiction to over the counter drugs in the state of Utah, with human interest stories along the way.

9.  Sunset Story - this documentary falls under the category of the human lifespan.  Follow two spunky political activists in their 90s as they deal with the last stages of life. 

There you have it!  Have you seen any of these?  If so, what did you think?  Do you have any recommendations for documentaries not on my list?

Maybe in the future, I'll do another one of these with some of my favorite fictional films that deal with psychology.