Social Parallels on In the Flesh: Stigmatization of Mental Illness

Of the many metaphorical uses of zombieism on In the Flesh, the clearest and most direct comparison can be drawn to mental illness.  In fact, writer Dominic Mitchell evidently conceived the show as a drama about a young (living) man returning home from a mental health facility after a violent incident, but he decided that zombies would let him to explore his themes in freer, more inventive ways (also, let’s face it – zombies are a lot more “in” right now.)  Spoilers ahead.

At the barest description, those with PDS, in their rabid states, aren’t in their right minds.  They can’t control their actions, and they hurt people, even those close to them.  After treatment, they come back to themselves and are horrified at what they did unawares (Simon killed his mom in his untreated state – doesn’t get much worse than that.)  Despite doctors’ assurances that it’s not their fault, they can’t shake the guilt, and the world at large certainly blames them.  In situations like this, this allegory can be tricky, since the “people with mental illness” in the scenario killed countless people and literally ate their brains (like in District 9, where the “black South Africans” are giant bugs from space.)  If I lived with mental illness, I can imagine taking offense at the comparison.  However, brain-eating aside, the parallel is drawn with such thoughtful care that I think I’d find it affirming.  Though the medicated PDS folk are affected by their condition physically (undead appearance, cold to the touch, can’t eat or drink) and psychologically (post-traumatic nightmares/flashbacks, severe guilt, newfound phobias,) the series affirms that they’re not inherently damaged or dangerous.  With their PDS under control, they live, work and love, and while their official label is “PDS sufferer,” they spend plenty of time getting on with life, not suffering at all.  Yes, Kieren is undead.  He did awful things he couldn’t help, and he’s colored by his experiences – however, at his heart, he’s still the same young man he was before.

There are struggles, the daily injections and the fear of a repeat episode, but the greatest hurdle isn’t PDS itself but the public’s perception of it.  The living throw around epithets with nary a thought and regard the treated undead as murderous “creatures.”  Around people with PDS, they’re wary at best and hostile at worst, expecting fresh attacks at any time.  They liken medication to flimsy leashes on mad dogs, and they think regression is inevitable.  If they see someone without makeup/contacts or feel someone’s cold skin, they’re at once on guard – who let the monsters back into society?  Rumors and unfounded speculation on the medication’s efficacy circulate, and everyone has a story about a friend who knows someone who turned rabid again, just like that, without warning.  Better off locking them all up (the treatment center has shades of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, albeit on a much larger scale – untreated zombies can’t complain about their rights being violated, and no one listens to the protests of the treated.)

As with my post on homophobia, I like that the theme isn’t just symbolic.  Kieren himself dealt with depression in life; though all his violence was against himself (slitting his wrists,) his actions greatly affected his family, and it’s something that has to be addressed when he comes back.  When he receives a devastating, tragic blow at the end of series 1, his family is in a panic over his well-being, and two of the season’s best scenes come from it.  First, his mom comes to comfort him, to empathize and encourage him to find the courage to “stay” this time, and second, Kieren helps his dad by getting him to talk about Kieren’s suicide.  Much like Kieren and his family can only come to terms with his PDS by being open about it, his mental health struggles can’t be the thing they don’t talk about; if they want to heal, it must be brought into the light.