The Issue Of Mental Health In Bird Box

Netflix closed off 2018 emphatically - in a good way. The streaming giant released Bird Box, a post-
apocalyptic thriller film adaptation of a 2014 novel of the same name written by Josh Malerman.

A Brief Plot

The film follows the story of Malorie Hayes (Sandra Bullock). She is a mother of two ( a boy and a girl)
trying to survive against a dark force that is threatening to wipe out humanity. The evil force manifests in
terms of hypnotizing monsters.

The monsters drive people to self-harm consequently committing suicide. Hence, the only way of
surviving is avoiding seeing them.

It is for this reason that Malorie uses blindfolds on herself and her two children as they flee to a location
she deems safe.

But not everyone who sees the demons necessarily commits suicide. Those with mental illness are
converted into agents of the monsters and help them unleash more havoc. These psychotic people
either attack other survivors or make them look at the evil beings.

The Buzz Around Bird Box

The release isn't what wrapped up the year on a high note for Netflix.

The numbers and subsequent buzz around Bird Box did. According to the streaming service, within a
week of its release, the film had been viewed by over 45 million of its subscribers. This is the highest
seven-day viewership ever to be garnered by any of Netflix's original films.

On the buzz side, several elements have been apparent.

First, twitter has been awash with memes specific to this particular film. Bird Box memes have been
trending on the social site for the last several days of 2018 when the film was released. This has
generated even more interest in the film - something that will definitely keep pushing the numbers up.

Secondly, there has been the Bird Box challenge which is all about trying to do everyday stuff with a
blindfold on. This is a portrayal of the survivors in the film who must cover their eyes in order to stay
alive. Like in the meme craze above, the challenge has been widely received prompting Netflix to issue a
moderation call on it due to fears of people getting hurt in the process.

Mental health in Bird Box

The last and most critical part of this whole Bird Box frenzy is the issue of mental illness and how it is
portrayed in the film.

As seen in the plot above, there are a lot of people intentionally harming themselves through a couple of
ways that lead to their deaths. This alone can be a trigger to anyone struggling with mental illness.
The other major discussion is around the idea of people with mental illness being turned into
accomplices of the monsters. And this is where Bird Box has received the most criticism.

The Mashable, for instance, took a hard stance against the film terming it a status quo propagator of
mass media portrayal of mentally ill people as a threat to those around them. A select social media users
are in agreement with Mashable with one terming Bird Box's plot as a weaponization of mental illness.

Still, others found the film to be the accurate depiction of the state of mental health today. According to
one Twitter user, the film accurately shines the light on mental health in society.

"bird box leaving so many things unanswered was a metaphor for mental health in society. we often
don’t get the answers to why our loved ones harm themselves. the “creatures” going unseen represents
the demons in us that cause mental health issues, as we cannot see them either ", she wrote.

There is clearly diverse opinions about the real meaning of Bird Box's portrayal of mental health issues.
Just like any work of art, the specific interpretation and the feelings invoked thereof, vary from an
individual to another.

But as Shainna Ali, Ph.D. advices in Psychology Today, any triggers from watching Bird Box should act as a
wake up call. This could be an indication that you need to have a closer look at your mental well-being
either by practicing self-care or seeking help.