“I wasn’t aware I suffered from social anxiety, I just thought it was shyness and I’d have to live with it. Since it’s something that wasn’t discussed at the time, I wasn’t aware I could get help. “The Fruit Fix” is a short film that would have really helped me, had I watched it when I was 19“.
Hope, has a life-changing piano audition coming up, nerve-wracking at the best of times. Unfortunately, as a sufferer of social anxiety, it’s going to take extraordinary courage to seek the help needed to pursue her dream.
Help can come from a strange place. Can a Banana and a piece of string really put her on the road to recovery? The Fruit Fix is a nuanced look at a (little talked about) mental health issue, with a surprising story based on real therapy.
“The film shows how social anxiety can get in the way of someone living their best life. We made this film not only to increase the visibility of social anxiety but also to represent it accurately” – Philip Connolly (Director)
“Not long after I first moved to London, I once saw a person walking a banana on a piece of string. It certainly intrigued me at the time as I wasn’t sure if it was a “London thing” or not. Like everyone else in the vicinity I studiously ignored the “banana walker” and went on about my business. I forgot about the banana walking incident, until several years later. I saw a documentary about social anxiety. I was surprised to discover the “Banana walk” was an actual treatment, I may have witnessed a person “walking a banana” because they were being treated for Social Anxiety!
The story resonated with me, partially because it solved a mystery and I’ve had my own anxiety battles. I wondered how terrifying it might be for a real social anxiety sufferer person to attempt the “banana walk” and risk ridicule. It’s like climbing a personal Everest but doing it under the radar. Someone is doing what is to them a hugely daunting task, overcoming huge fears, while those around are making a conscious effort to ignore it. I like that is a different form of bravery and unconventional personal heroism. Hence the film, which is very personal to me and reflects my own experiences of social anxiety.
At times my own anxiety has been debilitating and I wanted to show the impact of that. I gained help through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) which for me was life-changing.
Before I got help, I wasn’t aware I suffered from social anxiety, I just thought it was shyness and I’d have to live with it. Since it’s something that wasn’t discussed at the time, I wasn’t aware I could get help. “The Fruit Fix” is a short film that would have really helped me, had I watched it when I was 19″. – Phil
The Fruit Fix – stars hit Netflix show “Derry Girls” breakout star: Jamie Lee O’Donnell and Mark Benton (Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigation, Doctor Who and Early Doors)
How can No Panic help?
No Panic specialises in self-help recovery and our services include:
Providing people with the skills they need to manage their condition and work towards recovery.
Our aim is to give you all of the necessary advice, tools and support that you will need to recover and carry out this journey. No Panic Recovery Programs
