Untangling the Twist of Unknown Number: The High School Catfish
Many are left puzzled by the bizarre behaviors in this dark documentary. But the psychological truth behind can hit closer to home than expected.
Image from Unknown Number by Netflix
Everyone is talking about it: Minutes after the distinctive "ta-dum!" Netflix’s Unknown Number dropkicks viewers into a disorienting descent of manipulation and whodunnit worthy of a psychological whiplash warning.
What begins as the seemingly straightforward story of a high school catfish quickly unravels into something far more sinister. Layer by layer, the documentary appears to reveal a pattern of behavior that mirrors Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, or what is now known as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA) where a caregiver fabricates or induces crises to gain sympathy, attention, and control. (In this case, the mother inflicts surreptitious injury to her daughter online.) As the lies deepen and the stakes rise, viewers are left piecing together conflicting narratives and deciphering what’s real.
What makes the documentary even more unsettling is the postcap of the daughter’s response to her mother’s crimes. Rather than reacting with outrage, she appears to exhibit signs of trauma bonding, dissociation, and emotional numbness, all hallmarks of a complex trauma response. Her struggle to reconcile the deeply ingrained trust in her mother with the shocking betrayal at the heart of the story creates an emotional dissonance that mirrors what many survivors of a deep violation feel, or rather don't feel, after their world falls away. Think of it as a "gift" of the brain. (Brain: You can't handle this now. I'll put it over here, and we'll deal with it later--or never. Also, have you tried drinking??) In the documentary, the layered trauma, combined with the blurred lines between truth and fabrication, leaves viewers just as confused and shaken as the victims themselves.
Outside of the disturbing series though, this kind of response isn’t unique. It can emerge after experiences such as death, divorce, domestic violence, psychological abuse, family estrangement or even being fired. Basically, anytime an individual must navigate intense emotional pain while reconciling betrayal by someone they rely on for safety or love. Survivors often begin to question their own reality, doubting their memories and perceptions as a way to make sense of conflicting truths. Many may exhibit the fawn response, a survival strategy where they try to appease, align with, or emotionally attune to the person causing harm in order to maintain a sense of safety or belonging. (For example, someone may "compliantly" attend the family reunion with their former abuser. Or assume or deflect blame when they are cheated on or psychologically abused.) In these scenarios, the nervous system becomes wired to prioritize connection over self-protection, leaving survivors trapped in a cycle of confusion, self-doubt, and emotional dependency.
What can help? EMDR can assist in reprocessing painful memories and reduce the emotional charge tied to them, allowing survivors to separate what happened from who they are. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy offers another powerful tool by helping the brain access new neural pathways, easing rigid trauma responses, and fostering emotional openness that can make healing more accessible. Meanwhile, talk therapy provides a safe, consistent space to rebuild trust, process the grief attached to the betrayal, and reclaim personal identity after prolonged psychological abuse. Together, these approaches can gently unwind layers of complex trauma, helping survivors reconnect with their sense of safety, reality, and self, turning confusion and fragmentation into clarity and strength.
In the end of the documentary, daughter Lauryn professes her love and forgiveness while her mother's online messages of hate layer and fill the screen's void. But the brain, along with time and therapy, is the ultimate guardian, and is often better at future projections.
Lauryn plans on attending college and studying criminology.