WHO WOULD I BRING BACK WITH A RESURRECTION STONE? WHERE WOULD I GO BY PORTKEY? WHAT WOULD MY PATRONUS BE? | HARRY POTTER & MENTAL HEALTH; IN A WAY YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!!

Recently, I began watching Harry Potter all over again from the beginning and I found myself pondering the idea of a blog post. The problem was, I knew I’d already published content way back in January 2019, which I utilised to talk about ten life lessons illustrated in the Harry Potter series (you can read it here). And so, I considered choosing some quotes from the series that were applicable to many different aspects of mental health, but I knew that I’ve actually created some incredibly similar posts about different TV seasons and movies. Looking back over some of these and after researching how many blog posts and articles there are out there where people have related to Harry Potter quotes, led me to the conclusion that I wanted to do something completely different. I feel like I always work really hard to try to make sure that I’m NOT Disordered’s content is unique and creative, and I’d like to think that this post will massively fulfil that. So, rather than choosing quotes or my favourite bits, I’ve decided to apply some of the concepts throughout the entire Harry Potter series to myself and talk through what these would mean for me…

MENTAL HEALTH IN FIVE ‘FANTASTIC BEASTS’ QUOTES

I remember first discovering HarryPotter when the first movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was released in the cinema and I wasn’t totally hooked. I don’t know what convinced me to pick up the book and become so attached to the characters and so obsessed with the storyline that I read all seven books and watched all eight movies. I think I most enjoyed the level of escapism it brought me, leaving this challenging and upsetting world for one that was so far removed from reality and yet so realistic, allowed for the opportunity to forget – even just for the length of one page – my own difficulties.

I didn’t bother with any of the spin-off books and didn’t watch Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them until Christmas 2018! I actually watched the Crimes of Grindelwald (the second in the Fantastic Beasts series) first with my friend and when I didn’t have the same dramatic reactions as she had it became apparent that I really needed to watch the first to understand the importance of the second a bit better! I then bought the Crimes of Grindelwald screenplay and that really helped my understanding so much so that I bought the movie and watched it numerous times. It was on one of these most recent times that I thought maybe I could share with you all some quotes from it that – even taken out of context - are relevant to mental health…

TEN LIFE LESSONS LEARNT FROM HARRY POTTER

Since ITV are currently showing all the Harry Potter films, I thought it appropriate to blog about all of the life lessons I’ve learnt from the magical series that is Harry Potter!

Also! I’d like to dedicate this post to one of my absolute best-friends; Ellie who’s forever working her ass off juggling children and education so hopefully this post will help cheer her up!

So, here’s my top ten:

1.       Love can save lives

I thought it would make sense to begin my list with a lesson learnt from the very first film; Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. This lesson comes from when Harry’s Mum Lily protects him from Lord Voldermort’s killing spell (avada kedavra) by giving her own life.

2.       We are not shaped by our childhood

Harry grows up being lied to; told his parents died in a car crash, that there’s no such thing as magic, he’s emotionally abused by his Aunt and Uncle who keep him in a cupboard under the stairs and regularly berate him. Yet he remains honest, kind, and caring.