Content & Trigger Warnings for Shrinking (2023)
12 content warnings identified across 2 seasons for this show.
Quick Summary
Yes, Shrinking (2023) contains 12 content warnings : Death of a parent, Eating disorders, Grief / bereavement (major focus), Suicide (discussed or ideation), Terminal illness, Gaslighting / emotional manipulation, Infidelity, Needles / medical procedures, Alcohol abuse (depicted), Drug use (depicted), Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse, Self-harm / suicide (depicted).
The most severe warnings are for Death of a parent (severity 4/5), Grief / bereavement (major focus) (severity 5/5), Suicide (discussed or ideation) (severity 4/5), Self-harm / suicide (depicted) (severity 4/5).
Check the full breakdown below before you watch.
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Does It Get Worse?
7 series-wide warnings apply across all seasons.
| Warning | Season | Severity | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mental Health & Emotional | ||||
| Death of a parent | S1 | 3/5 | Referenced | The protagonist's daughter is processing the loss of her mother |
| Death of a parent | S2 | 3/5 | Referenced | The daughter's motherless experience continues to drive emotional storylines |
| Death of a parent | All | 4/5 | Depicted | A young girl coping with the death of her parent is a major storyline. |
| Eating disorders | S2 | 2/5 | Referenced | Body image and disordered eating referenced in therapy contexts |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | S1 | 5/5 | Depicted | Pervasive grief and mourning as the main character processes the death of his wife |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | S2 | 4/5 | Depicted | Ongoing grief processing as characters attempt to move forward |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | All | 5/5 | Depicted | Processing the death of a spouse and loved ones is the central theme of the entire series. |
| Suicide (discussed or ideation) | S1 | 4/5 | Referenced | The protagonist is a therapist grieving his wife's suicide which is central to the entire premise |
| Suicide (discussed or ideation) | S2 | 4/5 | Referenced | The wife's suicide continues to be a central emotional thread |
| Terminal illness | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Harrison Ford's character is dealing with a Parkinson's diagnosis |
| Terminal illness | S2 | 3/5 | Depicted | Progression of Parkinson's disease shown with increasing impact on daily life |
| Other | ||||
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | S1 | 2/5 | Depicted | The therapist begins using unconventional and ethically questionable methods with patients |
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | S2 | 2/5 | Depicted | Ethical boundaries in therapy continue to be pushed and questioned |
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Emotionally manipulative behavior in relationships is explored through therapy storylines. |
| Infidelity | S1 | 2/5 | Depicted | Relationship complications and boundary-crossing between characters |
| Infidelity | S2 | 2/5 | Depicted | Romantic complications and emotional boundary violations |
| Infidelity | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Infidelity and its emotional fallout feature in character storylines. |
| Phobias & Sensory | ||||
| Needles / medical procedures | S1 | 1/5 | Depicted | Brief medical scenes and references to therapy medication |
| Substance Use | ||||
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | The protagonist uses alcohol as a coping mechanism for his grief |
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | S2 | 3/5 | Depicted | Continued depiction of alcohol as a coping strategy |
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Characters drink frequently, and problematic drinking is addressed in some storylines. |
| Drug use (depicted) | S1 | 2/5 | Depicted | Recreational drug use depicted in some scenes |
| Drug use (depicted) | S2 | 2/5 | Depicted | Casual drug use depicted in social settings |
| Violence & Physical Harm | ||||
| Domestic violence / intimate partner abuse | All | 2/5 | Referenced | Toxic and emotionally abusive relationship dynamics are discussed in therapy sessions. |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | S1 | 3/5 | Referenced | Self-harm and suicidal ideation discussed in therapy sessions |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | S2 | 3/5 | Referenced | Therapy patients discuss self-harm and suicidal thoughts |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | All | 4/5 | Depicted | A character's past suicide attempt is revealed and discussed, and suicidal ideation is a recurring theme. |
Mental Health & Emotional
The protagonist's daughter is processing the loss of her mother
The daughter's motherless experience continues to drive emotional storylines
A young girl coping with the death of her parent is a major storyline.
Body image and disordered eating referenced in therapy contexts
Pervasive grief and mourning as the main character processes the death of his wife
Ongoing grief processing as characters attempt to move forward
Processing the death of a spouse and loved ones is the central theme of the entire series.
The protagonist is a therapist grieving his wife's suicide which is central to the entire premise
The wife's suicide continues to be a central emotional thread
Harrison Ford's character is dealing with a Parkinson's diagnosis
Progression of Parkinson's disease shown with increasing impact on daily life
Other
The therapist begins using unconventional and ethically questionable methods with patients
Ethical boundaries in therapy continue to be pushed and questioned
Emotionally manipulative behavior in relationships is explored through therapy storylines.
Infidelity and its emotional fallout feature in character storylines.
Phobias & Sensory
Brief medical scenes and references to therapy medication
Substance Use
The protagonist uses alcohol as a coping mechanism for his grief
Characters drink frequently, and problematic drinking is addressed in some storylines.
Violence & Physical Harm
Toxic and emotionally abusive relationship dynamics are discussed in therapy sessions.
Self-harm and suicidal ideation discussed in therapy sessions
Therapy patients discuss self-harm and suicidal thoughts
A character's past suicide attempt is revealed and discussed, and suicidal ideation is a recurring theme.
