The Psychology of Severance

Source: Rotten Tomatoes / Apple

Imagine arriving at work each day with no memory of who you are outside the office. Your personal life, relationships, and past experiences are wiped clean the moment you step through the door. Then, after an eight-hour shift, you exit—and everything you did inside vanishes from your mind. To your work self, the office is the entire universe; to your outside self, the job is a complete mystery.

This is the world of Severance, the Apple TV+ psychological thriller that has captivated audiences with its eerie depiction of corporate control and the fragmentation of identity. As a neuropsychologist, I was struck by how the series taps into real-world concerns about memory, trauma, and autonomy. While its premise is fictional, Severance raises profound psychological questions about how our sense of self is shaped by memory—and what happens when that continuity is disrupted.

Memory as Identity: What Severance Gets Right

Note: Minor Spoilers below from the Apple+ Series.

Memory is not just a repository of past experiences; it is fundamental to our sense of self. Our personal narratives—the ongoing story we tell ourselves about who we are—rely on episodic memory, the type of memory that allows us to recall events from our past (like remembering your first birthday party or a conversation you had with a friend last week). It is a form of memory that is highly personal and subjective, because it consists of autobiographical details tied to time and place. When this continuity is severed, as it is for the employees of Lumon Industries, the result is an existential fracture.

In Severance, the "innie" self—who exists only within the office—has no access to their personal history. While they are able to access semantic memory (knowledge and facts not tied to a personal experience, such as knowing the capital of France) and procedural memory (motor skills and habits such as typing or writing), they have no childhood memories, no knowledge of loved ones, no context for why they are there. This creates a profound psychological isolation. Research on patients with amnesia, such as those with damage to the hippocampus (the brain’s primary memory hub), shows that severe memory loss can lead to a breakdown of identity. Without memory, we struggle to define ourselves.

This disconnection is particularly evident in Mark S., the protagonist, whose "outie" has chosen to undergo the severance procedure to escape the grief of losing his wife. Yet his "innie" is trapped in a cycle of meaningless labor, unable to understand why he exists only within Lumon’s walls. His "innie" never sleeps, never rests, and the minute he leaves work, his next conscious experience is that of arriving at the office again for a new 8-hour work cycle. This mirrors what we see in some trauma survivors, who may unconsciously or consciously repress or dissociate from painful memories as a defense mechanism. The severance procedure is, in effect, an extreme version of psychological compartmentalization—a way to avoid emotional pain by physically splitting off access to distressing memories.

The Ethics of Memory Manipulation

Source: Apple

Memory is power. It shapes our choices, informs our emotions, and allows us to learn from past experiences. This is why Severance is so unsettling—by severing memory, Lumon exerts near-total control over employees’ ability to think critically about their circumstances. The "innies" cannot resist captivity because they lack the context to imagine an alternative. Without past experiences or personal history, they exist in a perpetual present, unable to assess their situation or make meaningful decisions.

Since their consciousness begins the moment they undergo severance, their psychological development is stunted. Though in adult bodies, their minds function like children’s—lacking lived experience, emotional maturity, and the wisdom gained from personal struggles and relationships. Without access to episodic memory—the autobiographical knowledge that fosters foresight and growth—the "innies" remain psychologically trapped, highly suggestible, and dependent on Lumon’s constructed reality.

This childlike existence is reinforced through infantilized reward systems, a tactic common in cults and high-control workplaces. In Severance, productivity is incentivized with "dance experiences," "melon bars," and the infamous "waffle party"—absurdly low-stakes perks designed to suppress critical thought and maintain obedience. By controlling memory, Lumon doesn’t just dictate employees’ actions—it shapes their entire sense of self.

These tactics mirror real-world manipulations. Some corporations offer superficial perks—free snacks, game rooms, or social events—to distract from deeper issues like low wages or toxic workloads. In abusive relationships or cults, infantilization disempowers individuals, keeping them dependent. For the "innies," autonomy is nonexistent; their reality is dictated by Lumon. They are led to believe their "outies" govern their fate, as seen when resignation requests are routinely denied without explanation. This is coercive control, a psychological tactic that systematically denies individuals access to the very information that could set them free.

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Workplace Trauma and Learned Helplessness

Beyond its commentary on memory, Severance is a scathing critique of modern work culture. The sterile, fluorescent-lit office of Lumon Industries is an exaggerated reflection of some real-life workplaces that seem to prioritize productivity over employee well-being. The TV series serves as a warning of the potential worst-case scenario that can result from our hustle-and-bustle culture, which at times glorifies people who identify as workaholics—praising long hours, burnout, and relentless dedication as signs of ambition rather than red flags for declining mental health.The "innies" exist solely to work, their entire consciousness reduced to a laboring machine. They have no weekends, no personal growth, no escape. By stripping them of memory, Lumon has eliminated any chance for work-life balance,

From a psychological standpoint, this environment fosters learned helplessness, a condition in which individuals, after repeated exposure to uncontrollable stress, stop attempting to change their circumstances—even when opportunities for escape arise. First identified by psychologist Martin Seligman, learned helplessness is a key factor in workplace burnout, chronic stress, and depression.

Reintegration: The High-Stakes Journey to Wholeness

Source: Apple

In Season 2, Episode 3, Mark S. makes a pivotal decision: he chooses to pursue reintegration, despite the grave risks. This decision represents a profound psychological shift—one that mirrors real-world trauma recovery, where individuals attempt to reclaim lost parts of themselves.

Reintegration, both in Severance and in psychological healing (known as reintegration therapy), is the process of merging fragmented parts of identity into a cohesive whole. It requires confronting painful or suppressed memories and acknowledging the truth of one's experiences. For Mark S., reintegration is more than an escape—it is a desperate attempt to reclaim his full identity.

His motivation? A revelation that his presumed-dead wife, Gemma, is in fact alive and working on the severed floor of Lumon. This discovery shatters the illusion of his outie’s choice to undergo severance. Rather than existing as a way to cope with grief, the procedure was part of a larger deception that has kept him from the person he loves.

Yet, the cost of reintegration is steep. The procedure is unproven, and one employee has already died from complications. Mark faces an existential gamble: does he risk his life for the chance to be whole again? Or does he remain in a fragmented existence, safe but incomplete?

This echoes real-world struggles in trauma therapy, where healing is not without its challenging moments. Facing painful memories can trigger intense emotional distress, PTSD flashbacks, or even temporary destabilization. Yet, for many trauma survivors, the alternative—remaining stuck in a dissociated state—feels like a half-life. And only through going through trauma-focused therapies can they begin to feel whole again and to experience deeper meaningfulness and connection in their lives.

Mark’s decision to seek reintegration speaks to the human drive for wholeness. Even when healing is risky, even when the cost is high, the need to reclaim our full selves often outweighs the fear of what might happen. For those who choose to face these challenges and undergo evidence-based trauma therapies, the potential upside is significant and life-changing.

Why Severance Resonates So Deeply

What makes Severance so unsettling—and so brilliant—is that it speaks to real psychological experiences. We all compartmentalize parts of ourselves. We all struggle with the balance between work and personal life. We all, at times, wish we could escape painful memories. But the show serves as a cautionary tale: the cost of severance is the loss of self.

Memory, even painful memory, is what makes us human. It allows us to learn, to grow, and to find meaning in our experiences. Even difficult past memories shape who we are, for better or for worse. Without memories, we are not truly living—we are merely functioning. And in the end, Severance asks us the most fundamental psychological question of all: If you erase the past, do you erase yourself?

For Mark S., the answer is clear: no matter the cost, reintegration is the only way forward.