Faithful or Traitor? What The Traitors can teach us about mental health

The BBC TV Show 'The Traitors' is a game built on trust, suspicion and deception. Contestants are constantly questioning what they know, who they can trust and whether the person sitting beside them is really who they say they are. 

While the stakes in real life are very different, some of the behaviours we see on screen offer interesting parallels with how people experience their mental health. 

When uncertainty leads to overthinking 

For the Faithfuls, certainty is hard to come by. Every conversation, reaction and decision can become something to analyse for clues. Did someone behave differently? Was that comment suspicious? Have they missed something obvious? 

That cycle of questioning provides a parallel with anxiety. When we're feeling anxious, uncertainty can be difficult to sit with. We might replay conversations, second-guess decisions or spend time worrying about situations we can't control. 

Everyday life isn't a game of The Traitors, but it does give a reminder of how exhausting it can be when an anxious mind is constantly searching for answers. 

Sometimes, protecting our mental wellbeing means recognising when we're caught in a cycle of overthinking and finding ways to step back, regain perspective and talk through our concerns with someone else. 

You can't always see what someone is carrying 

The Traitors face a different challenge. To remain in the game, they have to conceal an important part of their experience from everyone around them. 

While the circumstances are different, the idea of masking how we really feel is how many people can behave because they're worried about judgement, don't want to burden others or simply don't know how to start the conversation.  

Someone can turn up to work, join meetings, meet deadlines and laugh with colleagues while privately experiencing mental health struggles. It's an important lesson we can take away from the show: what we see on the surface doesn't necessarily tell us the whole story. 

Rather than assuming someone is okay because they appear to be coping, taking time to check in and creating opportunities for honest conversations can make it easier for somebody to share when things aren't quite right. 

Trust changes everything 

Trust is one of the most valuable commodities in The Traitors. Without it, suspicion grows and relationships become harder to navigate. 

Trust matters for mental wellbeing too. People are more likely to speak openly when they believe they will be listened to without judgement and know that asking for help won't be viewed negatively.  

For employers, that means building a culture where conversations about mental health are normal, managers feel able to check in with teams and employees know where they can access confidential support. 

For individuals, it means remembering that you don't have to wait until other people notice you're struggling before reaching out for support.  

Perhaps one of the most useful lessons from The Traitors is that we can never completely know what someone else is experiencing based only on what we see. 

In the game, concealing the truth might be the route to victory. When it comes to mental health, nobody should feel they have to hide how they're really doing. 

Able Futures encourages people to seek support early, before mental health difficulties begin to have a greater impact on their wellbeing, confidence or ability to stay well in work. 

If your mental health is affecting you at work, Able Futures offers no-cost, confidential support from experienced mental health professionals to help you have more good days. 

If you're an employer, you can also speak to our team about how Able Futures can complement your workplace wellbeing support and help employees access the service.