Educational Media Reviews Online

This Australian film examines anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive behavior, primarily through interviews with people who have struggled with crippling anxiety. The film’s subjects include a successful television actor; a cartoonist; a hoarder, her husband and adult daughter; a young man whose work-related injury led to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); a formerly housebound Tai Chi instructor; a young woman who cannot wear a piece of clothing or jewelry more than once; and a woman who has stopped pulling out her hair with the help of medication. They describe how their disorders began, their physical symptoms, and what goes through their minds during panic attacks. They also discuss “maladjustive behaviors” they developed to avoid anxiety-provoking situations—sometimes becoming housebound or even restricting themselves to one room—and tell how and to what extent they have overcome their anxiety.

Secret Fear surveys life events that may lead to anxiety disorders (such as physical injury or childhood sexual abuse) and common medical treatments. The film admits medication may be appropriate and helpful, and features people who have found medication helpful, but also suggests that drugs primarily benefit drug companies and touts spiritually-based “traditional” or non-drug therapies such as meditation.

The filmmakers try to visually convey how acute anxiety feels via quick cuts of traffic signs—apparently city streets can be especially difficult for those with panic disorders—stormy weather, and distorted views of medical personnel. Unfortunately these techniques give the film a nightmarish, low-budget quality and are unlikely to provoke empathy. The film has a definite Australian flavor; its two most celebrated interviewees, the actor and the cartoonist, will not be immediately recognizable to a mainstream audience. While the intent was to present a range of sufferers with whom viewers could identify, some interviewees appear to have been marginal before the onset of any disorder.

Because of its imagery and choice of interview subjects, Secret Fear is overall a somewhat disturbing and dense film, unlikely to dispel the stigma that prevents open discussion of anxiety and compulsive behavior, or to encourage sufferers to come forward. Secret Fear is not recommended.