Watching true crime to relax is a major red flag, psychologist says

If you're anything like me, you may have just binged Netflix's second season of Monsters over the weekend.

And if you did, well, I've got some bad news for you.

Created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, the second series is the new installment following the incredible success of 2022's Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

The new series - titled Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story - focuses on brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez, who are currently serving life sentences in prison for killing their parents back in 1989.

While the series has garnered mixed reviews on social media - and from Erik Menendez himself - it is no doubt the most compelling true crime series to be released on the platform in recent memory.

Lyle and Erik Menendez were found guilty of murdering their parents. Credit: Ted Soqui/Sygma via Getty Images

Of course, Netflix and other streaming platforms aren't shy about driving views through true crime shows - whether through movies, documentaries, or series like Monsters.

But Dr. Thema Bryant believes that people who enjoy such shows need to hit pause and take a look in the mirror.

Speaking on the Mel Robbins Podcast to discuss the trauma that could potentially come with binge-watching true crime shows, Dr. Bryant said: "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?'"

"That's what it is. Harm, crime, violation, attacks, and that's what is going to soothe me into my bedtime," she continued.

During the podcast, Robbins delved further into the subject, asking Dr. Bryant about her experiences with patients who consume true crime content. The psychologist revealed that many individuals find such media "normal and familiar".

"Some of us grew up in high-stress [situations], so people mistake peace for boring. And it's like, to come home to yourself you have to lean into the discomfort because it's gonna feel unfamiliar," Dr. Bryant explained.

A snippet of the podcast was shared on the @melrobbins TikTok account, sparking a flurry of comments from viewers eager to share their own reasons for indulging in true crime shows.

One user commented: "I watch true crime and fall asleep to it. Not sure why bc I didn't have any childhood trauma," while a second commented: "Is it trauma [though]? Isn’t it more [about] solving a puzzle or a feeling of comeuppance in an unfair world?"

A third person added: "The trauma isn't relaxing to me - it's the justice the characters/real people often get that I never did in my own life."

And a fourth added: "I watch true crime and sleep like a baby and have no issues."

Credit: Los Angeles Times / Getty

So, if you were planning on binging the new series before bed tonight... you may want to put some FRIENDS on instead.

Featured image credit:  Los Angeles Times / Getty