Two Major Social Anxiety Scenes in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Getting “sucked into a video game” has never been a literal expression. It has always been more metaphorical than anything. But now, after 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, being sucked into a video game has become a thing. In fact, it’s such a thing that they made a sequel which was released 2 years later (Jumanji: The Next Level). Look, I’ve never been a huge gamer or anything, but after watching The Rock, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black handle their business, I’ve become more interested. The adventures, the action, and the storyline, all kind of drew me in to their illustrious world of jungles and jewels. Not to mention, the combination of all four of those characters is funny as the name “jumanji.”

Although I’m a fan of the 4 main stars of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, this article is more focused on the their teenage counterparts, who are their real characters in the movie. In other words, the teenagers got sucked into the video game to become the 4 stars of the movie (DJ, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black). Specifically, there are two scenes in the movie which focus on these teens and potential social anxiety moments. Click here to check out just what the hell Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) what why sufferers dread Red Face.

Social Anxiety Scene 1: The Principals Office

Movie: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Social Anxiety Scene: While in the principals office, Spencer is informed that he has been caught helping Fridge cheat on his essay by the teacher

Anxiety provoking event:

1. While sitting in front of principal and teacher, and sitting next to a popular dude that he wants to be friends with, the teacher is reading the last paragraph of Fridge’s essay while comparing it to Spencer’s paper. The duration of time during which she is reading and comparing leads to anticipation that Spencer is about to be in trouble.
2. Direct accusation for doing something wrong by authority figures is a huge trigger.
3. Spencer defends himself against thee allegations while Fridge is looking on. His defenses are weak and just plain ridiculous.

Anticipation

When someone with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) knows that he/she is about to get in trouble, the build-up of fear of judgement intensifies. The anticipation of trouble and scolding by authority figures, especially in front of others, becomes too strong. Anticipating getting into trouble is a huge trigger and will actually lead to Red Face. In other words, just the thoughts of what is about to happen will lead to intense sweating and blushing. This is an SAD persons worst moment. It is awful.

Direct Accusation

Authority figures can be scary enough to some people. But they are even more frightening when they point their fingers at you in accusation. Both the teacher and the principal showed Spencer and Fridge their similar essays and then suggested that Spencer is involved in helping Fridge cheat. When an SAD sufferer knows that they did something wrong and are being scolded about it by authority figures, it can immediately lead to Red Face. Then everyone in the room will e starring, likely even commenting, about your hot sauce red, moist face. Again, it is just awful.

Being Called On To speak

No one likes being called on in class to speak. But people will like it even less when they are in trouble and both the teacher and principal are there calling on you. That is what happened to Spencer as he was sitting with Fridge in the principals office. The teacher finished reading the last paragraph of his paper, showing him the stark similarities to Fridge’s paper. She asked him to justify these similarities between the two papers. He tries to defend himself by saying things like, “that’s interesting. What are the odds of that?” Then like 15 seconds later, in an effort to defend Fridge, Spencer raises his hand and states, “it was my fault. I made him do it.” A ridiculous defense in which the principal calls him out on.

Someone suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder would be just as nervous, but in an effort to keep eyes from being on them, they wouldn’t voluntarily talk. If Spencer had SAD, he would keep his answers very short, apologize, and not raise his hand in volunteer of taking the blame. He would want the whole thing to end asap. Why? Because he would have Red Face by then and doesn’t want anyone to make it 100x worse by commenting on it.

Somewhere in the middle of his messy argument, Spencer complains that it is really hot in the room. This is important because people with SAD would be feeling that same exact feeling of heat. I’m not saying Spencer has SAD, but the feeling of being under public pressure in front of authority would make anyone nervous. But with SAD sufferer’s, it’s so much more intense. People with Social Anxiety Disorder will get a rush of heat sensation straight to their face, followed by the body’s cooling mechanism, sweat. All while being called on to speak, or during anticipation, or while being accused of doing something bad. That hot, sweaty, red feeling in front of other people is a traumatizing to SAD sufferers.

Social Anxiety Scene 2: Sitting next to Martha

Movie: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, 2017

Social Anxiety Scene: The four, soon to be video game adventurers, are sitting outside of the principals office waiting for their detention to begin.

Anxiety Provoking Event: Spencer is sitting directly next to the girl he secretly likes and gets nervous around, Martha.

he likes her

Highschool crushes are great, aren’t they? You like someone, you’re too nervous to tell them so you just deny it, and it turns out they never liked you anyway. Ugh! Romance in highschool can be tough, and Spencer’s crush on Martha is a perfect example. But if he had Social Anxiety Disorder, it’d be even worse for him.

While they were all sitting outside the principals office, Spencer ended up sitting right to Martha. He secretly has a crush on her, but the highschool rule book says that you can never tell her that. So he keeps it himself and lives with the nervousness around her.

Just like we saw when he was being punished for cheating, anticipation can play a significant role in triggering SAD. While sitting next to Martha, thoughts of “don’t make her like you less” will pop into Spencers mind. Yes, he will already assume that she doesn’t like him. SAD sufferers project negative thoughts from other people about themselves in social situations very often. It’s actually a big focal point that therapists work on when helping SAD sufferers.

red face

So Spencer will develop a strategy in mind. He will try his best not to move so much, he will not say anything to her, and he will hope to God that she doesn’t say anything to him. Why? Because if she does spark a conversation with him, he will get a humiliating case of Red Face and there is nothing he can do to hide it. She will undoubtedly notice the bright red blushing and profuse sweating. And since he is sitting so close to her, he will radiate an overwhelming amount of body heat towards her. Again, she will notice that too.

The absolute worse case scenario if he developed Red Face in front of her is that she will notice his ripe tomato sweating face, make a disgusted look, and then comment on it in front of him. The red will shine redder and the sweat will be wetter. And just as bad is if one of the other two students notice and point it out publicly. Spencer would get hotter, redder, and wetter real fast. He would be completely humiliated. As always, this would just be awful!