May My Words Be Your Wings

- A young poet performs a poem written for people undergoing emotional turmoil. “You are stronger than your sorrow,” he urges YouTube viewers. Earnest and authentic encouragement for people with mental health issues.

“It Gets Better? Ingrid and Desiree”

- From The Slope, a comedy web series about “superficial, homophobic lesbians” living in Park Slope, Brooklyn, this episode spoofs the It Gets Better video campaign against bullying and suicide. Serious subjects, It Gets Better has been a massive success with tens of thousands of videos made by people encouraging gay youth to hold on past high school. I’d never seen a spoof video – surely too sensitive a subject? – but this one is right on target. Potentially offensive if you take yourself too seriously, but watch it in the light hearted spirit in which it was intended and enjoy lots of laughter.

Sh*t People Say About OCD

- Although the Sh*t People Say meme is past its prime, this overlooked homemade video still rings true by parodying common things that uneducated people say to people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Example: “Could you clean my room?” Warning: coarse language (an obvious four letter word). Interactive transcript available. To learn real facts about OCD, visit her blog, and search PsychCentral’s vast archives for lots more information.

We Didn’t Start the Scanner

- Exactly as described: “A History of Cognitive Neuroscience…in Three Minutes.” Set to the melody of Billy Joel’s classic song “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” new lyrics highlight significant scientists and advances in the field over the years, interspersed with comedy bits reminiscent of silent films. A lively and fun history lesson, this student video won the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience Brains on Film Competition 2012 at University College London. Full lyrics are available here in the video’s description. Hat tip: contest organizer Sophie Scott.

Catwoman Therapy! Episode 13

- Comedy skit about villainess Catwoman in session with a frustrated psychotherapist, delving into her obsession with Batman, and her many annoying cat mannerisms. Well-acted and edited, this is a hilarious concept that’s been nicely executed. Watch the whole Super Therapy series featuring assorted superheroes in therapy. Great stuff.

Untitled Psychiatric Sitcom Episode #2 Sneak Peek #3

A well-acted exaggerated dysfunctional exchange between a mother and a son in their home, in front of a group of his colleague psychiatrists. Scene from a sitcom that’s yet to be released, from the second episode titled “Zsa Zsa and the Wooden Dummy.” The indie sitcom has not settled on a title but is considering “All My Shrinks” and “Freudian Quips” among others. We look forward to seeing a full episode soon.

Brain Attack

How do you take public education about a serious medical emergency and turn it into a funny video? With health care professionals wearing neon leggings, goofy dancing, and a preamble depicting a doctor on the street trying to teach uninterested passersby the medical mechanics and warning signs of a stroke. Managing a perfect balance between funny and serious, this educational video teaches the FAST method of early stroke detection (Face, Arm, Speech, Time) in a quick and painless way. Laugh and learn! Another video in the new series Funny Fridays, taking a lighthearted look at all things to do with the brain and behaviour.

So You Want to Get a PhD in Psychology

Animation of an imaginary conversation between a psychology professor and a student who wants to follow in his footsteps. Want to help people? Study the human condition? Make lots of money? Apparently academia is not the right career choice. This cute, short video points out some of the potential drawbacks of working in the field.
This is the first in my new series, Funny Fridays. I’ll be featuring amusing videos about the brain and behaviour every week. Sit back and relax, have a laugh, and feel free to share links to your favourites in the comments.

Everything Moves

A lovely short video about living with Parkinson’s Disease. A philosophical and poetic view of a movement disorder by a woman afflicted by it, looking at all the movement in the world around her as well as her body’s tremors. This video is one of 105 entries in this year’s Neuro Film Festival, hosted by the American Academy of Neurology. View them all in a single YouTube playlist (each video is under 5 minutes), and vote for your favourites here. Public voting is open until March 8 for the fan favourite prize, then judges will choose their picks, and all the winners will be announced April 22. Every year the contest grows and continues to attract stellar videos promoting brain research. Watch inspiring stories of recovery and perseverance in the face of conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, autism, MS, traumatic brain injuries, and more.

Remember

A moving story about Alzheimer’s, beautifully illustrated with charcoal drawings, set to a jazz song written and performed by a woman whose mother succumbed to the disease. An entry advocating brain research in the 2012 Neuro Film Festival sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, this video is an early favourite (watch all the entries in this playlist). But there’s still time to enter – submit until January 31.