Netflix's “Afflicted” And The Portrayal Of Chronic Illness

This August, Netflix released “Afflicted”, a docu-series that focuses on the lives of seven people suffering from chronic illnesses.

The seven-part series documents their diagnoses, symptoms, search for answers, treatment plans, and the overall toll each the process has taken on their lives (and their family’s).

Since its premiere, the series has received much criticism, especially from the people profiled in the documentary. In an essay published on Medium, the show’s participants take issue with how they were portrayed (and provided their own stories).

In large part, they felt their stories were depicted as “as psychosomatic or psychiatric disorders” instead of illnesses “that are separate from mental health conditions” and have an organic basis. 

The show, however, did resonate with other members of the chronically ill community like Jenna Birch. Birch writes about her own reality with chronic pain, while poignantly noting the 133 million other Americans (or 40 percent of the population) who struggle with ongoing illnesses. 

Birch was diagnosed with fibromyalgia at the age of 19. After her diagnosis, she said, “an expert on fibromyalgia told me that had I experienced this sort of pain 20 years ago, I’d have gotten a psychiatric evaluation instead of treatment.”

Many go undiagnosed, or misdiagnosed, and aren’t as lucky as her (I recommend reading the full story in the link below).

There’s the issue that the series “Afflicted” and Birch both emphasize: many sufferers are made to feel crazy about their experiences. Their pain or symptoms can’t be fully seen or understood by others. This highlights a need to shift the culture around chronic illness.