A psychologist has warned that it’s a major red flag if you enjoyed the new Netflix Ed Gein series.
Netflix’s latest season of Monster: The Ed Gein Story has arrived, and while viewers are calling it ‘the most terrifying‘ installment yet, a psychologist’s previous warning about true crime consumption is gaining renewed attention.
The Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan anthology series returns with its third season, focusing on the 1950s Wisconsin killer whose gruesome crimes inspired iconic horror films like Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Charlie Hunnam stars as Gein in what critics are describing as a ‘blood-curdling’ and potentially ‘traumatizing’ portrayal that pushes boundaries even further than the show’s controversial previous seasons about Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez Brothers.
Early viewers of Monster: The Ed Gein Story are reporting that this season feels particularly disturbing.
“I’ve just finished the first episode and need a sanity break before the next,” one viewer admitted, while another described feeling the show would ‘scar [them] for life.’
Karina Adelgaard of Heaven of Horror called the series ‘perhaps the darkest one yet,’ noting its ‘extremely dark’ tone.
Hunnam told Netflix’s Tudum his goal was authenticity: “This is going to be the really human, tender, unflinching, no-holds-barred exploration of who Ed was and what he did.”
However, as fans settle in to binge-watch the disturbing series, mental health professionals are questioning whether our collective appetite for true crime content might signal something deeper.
Dr. Thema Bryant, speaking on The Mel Robbins Podcast, issued a stark warning to true crime enthusiasts that’s particularly relevant to viewers of the new Ed Gein series.
“If your idea of relaxing before you go to sleep is to watch three episodes of Law and Order, [then] I would encourage you to think about ‘why is trauma relaxing to me?’” Dr. Bryant explained.
The psychologist suggests that people who consume violent media for relaxation may be drawn to it because the trauma feels familiar. “Some of us grew up in high-stress [situations], so people mistake peace for boring,” she said.
Dr. Bryant encourages viewers to examine their relationship with true crime content: “To come home to yourself you have to lean into the discomfort because it’s gonna feel unfamiliar. It may be a good time to reprogram your nervous system. Peace may seem unfamiliar and feel boring but you are worth it.”
Dr. Bryant’s warning has sparked significant debate within the true crime community. Many viewers push back against the suggestion that enjoying these stories indicates unresolved trauma.
“The trauma isn’t relaxing to me – it’s the justice the characters or real people often get that I never did in my own life,” one person explained.
Another added: “I’m not about the trauma. I like to see the bad guy get caught or them figure out the mystery.”
Others see true crime consumption as practical: “Some of us just like watching the dark side of things. To me, it makes us more aware of this crazy world just in case we are faced with these kinds of scenarios.”
One viewer noted they’ve been “watching/reading true crime [for] 40 years and still on the right side of prison bars. It’s harmless fascination.”
Despite the pushback, Dr. Bryant’s words have struck a chord with some viewers who recognize their own patterns in her description.
“Wow! Makes so much sense,” one person commented. Another admitted: “Wow, that is exactly what I watch to relax. This was so enlightening.”
Perhaps most poignantly, one viewer shared: “Woah I never even thought about this. When my mum was dying I was watching Real Life Crime to calm me.”
Dr. Bryant isn’t necessarily suggesting people avoid true crime entirely, but rather that they examine why they’re drawn to it. If you find yourself reaching for the most disturbing content as a way to unwind, it might be worth asking whether you’re seeking familiarity in chaos rather than genuine relaxation.
As one commenter observed: “It still surprises me that people find peace to be boring. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over that.”
Watch the trailer for Monster: The Ed Gein Story below…
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is available to stream now on Netflix.
Netflix’s Ed Gein Series Slammed By Fans And Critics As Everyone Has The Same Complaint
Ed Gein’s Real Voice Revealed As Netflix Fans Slam Charlie Hunnam For Accent In New Series
The post Psychologist Warns It’s A Major Red Flag If You Enjoy New Ed Gein Netflix Series appeared first on It’s Gone Viral.
Tags: #Psychologist #Warns #Major #Red #Flag #Enjoy #Gein #Netflix #Series
