Why the ‘Baby Reindeer effect’ is leaving viewers petrified-Josie Copson-Entertainment – Metro

The ‘Baby Reindeer effect’ has left viewers feeling paranoid and terrified (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)

Baby Reindeer is a harrowing true story following one man’s account of being stalked as he also recovers from the trauma of sexual assault and rape.

Richard Gadd bravely used his real life to inspire an Edinburgh Fringe one-man play, which was turned into this Netflix drama, that has been widely watched and praised but the series has left some viewers feeling paranoid and petrified.

Throughout eight disturbing episodes, Donny (played by Richard) is terrorised by Martha (Jessica Gunning) after a chance meeting.

Martha walks into the pub where he works as a barman, and becomes obsessed after one act of kindness. Soon, his whole life is dominated by this unhealthy infatuation, as he’s followed in real life and is constantly inundated with messages online.

Unfortunately, for some fans, the impact of the show has lasted long after the credits have rolled. Many TV shows have had this control over viewers’ emotions, including I May Destroy You – a deep exploration of sexual consent, The Handmaid’s Tale – a dystopian tale of fertile women becoming enslaved as child-bearing ‘handmaids’ for elites, and 13 Reasons Why which revealed the tragic circumstances around a woman’s suicide.

Baby Reindeer’s basis on a true story adds an extra element, so the raw portrayal has stirred up a powerful reaction, in what could be called the ‘Baby Reindeer effect’.

‘Yea I’m never gonna be nice to any of u mfs anymore this made me paranoid bruh,’ wrote Alessia on X.

Viewers called the show ‘disturbing’ and ‘triggering’ (Picture: Netflix)

‘Perhaps the most disturbing, triggering watch in a long time. Better folks than me will review this, but all I say is that it forces you to confront your own traumas and fears,’ said Kiran Manral.

Danny added: ‘Baby Reindeer is heavy! Just finished it, Christ I’ll not sleep for a week!’

While Duncan Goodfellow felt ‘drained, exhausted and equally terrified’ after watching the show.

Psychotherapist Noel McDermott has now explained why the episodes affect some viewers in their real life. He says that dramas have long had the power to evoke real feelings.

McDermott compared our reactions to TV shows to how it feels to witness or hear about trauma using therapists as an example.

‘It’s well known in clinical circles that therapists can develop traumatic symptoms from exposure to the stories of patients.

‘Our threat mechanism is not conscious. It responds to stimuli and doesn’t discriminate between real and not real events,’ he told Metro.co.uk.

‘Our threat mechanism is not conscious.’ (Picture: Netflix)

‘It’s a well-made television drama doing what good drama does.

‘Psychodrama [a type of therapy whereby people dramatise a problem or conflict to help find resolutions] evolved from the dramatic arts because of the power of this artform to affect people.’

McDermott noted that seeing a man as a victim of stalking, rather than a woman has also impacted the reaction. u3hrei2u3her

‘Gender issues are present as unusually the story is about a man being stalked.

‘The novelty is making patterned social responses to women being stalked such as victim blaming, or indifference, unavailable so the actual trauma of this type of behaviour is more evident.’

Donny deals with ‘hidden trauma’ (Picture: Ed Miller/Netflix)

Within the story, Donny has ‘hidden trauma’ that becomes unignorable, and that can speak to people’s fears.

‘The story hinges on the idea of the activation of ‘hidden trauma’ in us which is a deep fear. There is an erroneous belief that repressed trauma will surface one day and take control of us.

‘It may have triggered and activated actual experiences of stalking, control, and intimate partner violence for some viewers.

‘If you have had previous experiences similar to those represented in the drama and are experiencing signs of distress, such as issues with sleep then seek help from a medical professional.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted Netflix and Richard Gadd’s representatives for comment.

Baby Reindeer is available to stream on Netflix now.  

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