Movie that Impacted Me Unusually Sad

I saw the movie Peppermint that stars Jennifer Garner as a Riley North, a woman whose husband and daughter were gunned down by a drug cartel. The criminal justice system failed her, so she took matters into her own hands and took on the cartel herself.

I know it’s just a movie, and I keep telling myself that. Movies don’t usually affect me this way. However, this movie has made me very sad. The one scene near the end where Riley visits the grave of her husband and daughter and cries about missing her family so much made me too sad. I felt so bad for Riley that I started crying at night just thinking about it. I thought this would pass after a few days, but it hasn’t.

I wish I could know Riley would be alright as the end of the movie leaves that unknown. I want to comfort her and wish I could do something for her.

I know Riley is fictional, so I became obsessed with Jennifer Garner. She is the closest I can get to Riley. She seems to never be far from my mind.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Hello hippaforalkus: I noticed this is your first post here on PC. So... welcome to PsychCentral.

I'm sorry I don't really know what to tell you about this. I know I've had a few experiences of this sort over the years. In my case, though, my "obsession" with a movie or character faded over the course of a day or two. I don't know how long this has been going on with you. Actually this experience doesn't seem to be all that uncommon. Here are links to 3 similar threads, along with their replies, that were posted here on PC:

Falling In Love With A Fictional Character...

I'm deeply in love with a cartoon character

I'm deeply in love with a cartoon character

And then here are links to some articles, from PsychCentral's archives, on how to let go of stuck thoughts as well as how to stop obsessing. Perhaps there will be some suggestions in these articles that will be of some help:

9 Ways to Let Go of Stuck Thoughts

7 Ways to Stop Obsessing

https://psychcentral.com/blog/some-i...dium=popular17

https://psychcentral.com/blog/why-ca...dium=popular17

I hope you find PC to be of benefit.

what about joining a Jennifer Garner fan club or email newsletter. that way you'll know what she's doing, and that she is safe (the real Jennifer). you never know, you might even hear from her- never say never.

after I finished reading a book by daniele steel, I went online to write about the book and how it meant a lot to me, and daniele herself wrote back to me

another idea... what about some fan fiction?

if you were writing about her, what would she do next, and what would she get herself in to?

I've done this too, when a comedy series ended

Thank you to everyone who responded. Just an update - I think I'm starting to get over this. Whenever any scene from the movie comes to my mind, I tell myself over and over again it's just a movie. I'm also trying not to think of Jennifer Garner and get on with what's in my life. I know it's hard, but I don't think I will ever hear from her and the sooner I get past this the better.