Helping Give Away Psychological Science/1004 Squid Game Projects

Help for Mental Health Emergencies
Whatever you are going through, you are not alone. The resources listed on this page are here to provide guidance as to how to get help. The resources listed in this box are meant for urgent mental health needs and are available for use 24/7. If you are facing suicidal thoughts or feelings, please seek help immediately. If you have a medical or mental health emergency and are at risk of harm, please call 9-1-1. National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Textline: Text HOME to 741741 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 Resources for Dealing with Suicidal Ideation
IMPORTANT NOTE: This page is meant as a guide to help you navigate available mental health resources and to help those interested in seeking treatment begin that journey. However, neither this page nor the resources included should be used in place of professional or medical advice and/or treatment.

Squid Game--Mental Health Resources for Triggering Topics

Squid Game (Hangul: 오징어 게임, Romanization: Ojing-eo Geim) is a South Korean television drama created by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix. Named after a common but often violent South Korean children’s game, Squid Game portrays 456 contestants, all of varying backgrounds but all facing deep financial turmoil, desperately trying to win the significant sum of cash held in a tank above the room in which they sleep. Early on, however, the contestants realize they have become involved not in a simple game, but rather in a battle for survival.

Quickly ascending to international fame, the show is popular for its high-stakes, action-packed plot, emotionally compelling moments, and complicated characters. However, the violence displayed and heavy topics covered are likely to leave many viewers rattled, and may even recall to mind personal traumas and negative emotions for some. Many potentially triggering topics, including but not limited to suicide, terminal illness, and physical violence, are portrayed in the drama. Unfortunately, the show does not follow up on the troubling topics shown with education regarding resources or support opportunities.

Passionate about promoting better, more accessible mental health support, our team, a subgroup of the group Helping Give Away Psychological Science (HGAPS), has worked to compile applicable resources to address the various triggering topics incorporated throughout the show. If you have viewed Squid Game or plan to view it in the future and feel affected by the themes included in the drama, please feel free to seek support and resources through the links compiled below.

Season 1

Each episode block contains a list of a number of triggering topics displayed in the show. Please note that there may be many triggering topics that were not included on this page. Some themes recur throughout the series, and may therefore be listed in more than one episode. In such cases, the repeat-occurrences of a theme will not have content in the corresponding box, but instead the triggering topic itself will be linked so that you will be redirect to the information corresponding to the first instance.

Episode 1:	"Red Light, Green Light" (Mugunghwa Kkoch-i Pideon Nal 무궁화 꽃이 피던 날)
Joblessness/Employment Difficulties	About unemployment
Financial Trouble
Gambling Problems	National Problem Gambling Helpline Network (1-800-522-4700) Symptoms of problematic gambling Treatment options Gamblers Anonymous
Physical Violence
Terminal Illness	Wikipedia
Domestic Abuse	Women's shelters servicesNational Domestic Violence HotlineForms of domestic abuse
Physical Abuse
Gun Violence	Call 1-866-SPEAK-UP to report threats of violence
Mass Casualty/Trauma
Trauma

Episode 2:	"Hell" (Ji-ok 지옥)
Financial Distress
Chronic Illness
Living Uninsured	Health insurance coverage in the United States
Medical Expenses	Medical debt
Housing Instability
Foster Care/Orphanage	Foster care in the USChildren's Aid Society
Separation from Family
Suicide	Risk factors of suicideSuicide preventionInterventionsRisk assessment of suicideSupport organizations
Divorce/Custody Issues	Forms of child custodyChildren's rightsTypes of divorce in courtAlimony in different countries

Episode 3:	"The Man with the Umbrella" (Usan-eul Sseun Namja 우산을 쓴 남자)

Episode 4:	"Stick to the Team" (Jjollyeodo Pyeonmeokgi쫄려도 편먹기)
Food Insecurity
Organ Trafficking
Mass Violence
Memory Impairment/Illness
Discrimination
Relational Abuse

Episode 5:	"A Fair World" (Pyeongdeung-han Sesang 평등한 세상)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Workplace Injury and Repercussion
Rape

Episode 6:	"Gganbu" (Kkanbu 깐부)
Acculturation Problems
Witnessing a Crime

Episode 7:	"VIPS"
Suicide
Anxiety/Fear
Sexual Harassment/Assault
Sexual Coercion/Rape
Workplace Sexual Harassment/Assault

Episode 8:	"Front Man" (Peulonteu Maen 프론트맨)
Significant Injury

Episode 9:	"One Lucky Day" (Unsu Joeun Nal 운수 좋은 날)
Losing a Friend
Losing a Family Member
Depression
Homelessness
Terminal Illness/Dying
Trauma

Accessing Mental Health Support

If you are struggling with your mental health, please do not hesitate to seek help. Below are some resources to help you find professional mental health support.

Resource	Description
APA Psychologist Finder	This service provided by the American Psychological Association (APA) allows you to search for Psychologists in your area. You can also search for a Psychologist by their name or the name of their practice. Your search may yield: -the names of local Psychologists -whether or not they accept insurance as well as which types -whether or not they are currently accepting new patients -whether or not Telehealth is available -the address of their practice
Psychology Today Psychiatrist Finder
Find a CBT Specialist
Find a Psychodynamic Specialist
Find a Humanistic Specialist

Who Can Help Me?

When seeking mental health support, you may be overwhelmed by the numerous types of mental health professionals you can seek help from. Below are summaries of the primary types of professionals that may be offering mental health services in your area. Please note that availability, finances, or other factors may impact which professionals you can receive support from.

Title	Description
Clinical Social Worker
Mental Health Counselor
Psychologist (Clinical or Counseling)
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Psychiatrist