People Are Warning Others About Mental Health Triggers in Netflix's New 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch' Movie

If you’re sensitive to suicide-based plotlines or graphic depictions of suicide or psychosis, you may want to skip Netflix’s interactive film “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.” Set in the 1980s, the dystopian science fiction movie has the same eerie characteristics of “Black Mirror,” the eponymous Netflix show it’s based on.

Unlike regular movies, the plot of “Bandersnatch” is controlled by you, the viewer. Through supported devices, like your phone, you choose which path the main character, Stefan, a computer game maker, takes.

Though certain scenes only appear depending on the viewer’s selection, the overall plot features psychosis, delusions, paranoia and trauma. Stefan lost his mother when he was five and tries to address that trauma in therapy. He starts to believe he’s being controlled by something other than himself and acts out violently. The movie also incorporates blood and gore.

There is at least one detailed suicide scene shown, should the viewer choose to “kill” Stefan. The scene is shot from Stefan’s perspective, so it looks like the viewer is also dying by suicide. If a viewer decides not to kill Stefan, the viewer chooses Colin, another game maker in the scene, to die by suicide.

Because the movie may trigger some people, especially those who are suicidal or struggle with paranoid delusions, viewers have warned others on social media about the nature of the film.

all black mirror episodes have always had pretty serious trigger warning issues for various conditions but this one is especially heavy yall. it's like it's out to set off ocd and paranoia. just tread carefully. it's going to upset my own patterns too – it already does

— shei (@namgiallnight) December 29, 2018

I know there should be a trigger warning for every #BlackMirror episode, but I would warn that #Bandersnatch deals with intrusive thoughts, trauma and ptsd in v creepy ways

— CharleytheChameleon (@Charleythemush) December 28, 2018

TV show warning:

In the new ep of Black Mirror you make choices for the character & watch all the different outcomes.

My twitter tl is now full of content relating to the option where someone dies by suicide.
I think you can even choose your character to tell him to do it? ????

— Surviving Their Suicide Podcast (@surviveasuicide) December 29, 2018

hey if you’re triggered by suicide you probably should stay away from the new black mirror episode bandersnatch!

— celeste (@suuhlest) December 29, 2018

It’s OK to skip “Bandersnatch” if you’re sensitive to these topics. Your health and safety are more important than the latest trendy show or movie. If you want to watch the movie but are concerned it might be too much, try watching it with someone you trust. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting “HOME” to 741741 if you need extra support.