Sirens: What health condition does Simone have on the Netflix show? Details explored in depth

Among the recent dark comedies on Netflix, which offers a mix of psychological drama in the story, is Sirens, created by Molly Smith Metzler. Adapted from her own stage play Elemeno Pea, it was first written in 2011.

At the heart of Sirens is the complicated relationship between two sisters, Devon and Simone DeWitt. Both of them grew up in Buffalo, New York, in a chaotic home. Their father battled alcoholism, and their mother had serious mental health struggles that ended tragically with her suicide.

After that, the sisters were placed in foster care, which deeply shaped how they see things like love, safety, and where they belong. Following the struggles in her childhood, Simone has now been dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Her health condition is rooted in the emotional damage Simone faced at an early age. Her past is filled with painful memories that continue to affect her mental health as an adult. Sirens explains how this kind of unresolved trauma affects a human.

Simone experiences anxiety, mood swings, and especially panic attacks, which her older sister Devon often witnessed and worried about. It’s like Simone has erased who she really is just to fit into this high-society lifestyle. She doesn’t even tell people she has a sister or that she was ever in foster care.

Keep reading to explore more about Simone's health condition in Sirens.

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The childhood trauma that triggered Simone's PTSD in Sirens

As previously mentioned, Simone’s psychological struggles have deep roots in her early life, beginning when she was just seven. The series revealed that her mother attempted suicide by running a hose from a car exhaust into their vehicle while both sisters were inside.

Tragically, Simone lost consciousness, and her mother died. Devon managed to rescue her just in time, but the experience marked Simone forever. This singular event in Sirens set off a chain of consequences, leaving both girls without maternal care.

After their mother passed away, things took a dark turn at home. Their father, Bruce, began drinking heavily and became emotionally distant. Devon, the older sister, tried her best to protect Simone from the worst of it. She was the more responsible one and eventually left for college.

But once Devon moved out, Simone was left to face their father alone, and his condition only got worse. Without anyone to look out for her, Simone ended up being removed from the home by Child Protective Services and placed into the foster care system.

Unfortunately, her time in foster care wasn’t good either. All of this emotional pain started piling up from a young age, shaping how Simone would see the world and relate to others for years to come. Later on, Devon made the difficult choice to drop out of college so she could take custody of Simone herself.

Devon planned to leave college to take care of her sister, but the damage was already done. Simone began showing signs of PTSD when she was still young. Although she was taken off her medications during her teen years, she never really dealt with the pain she carried. Instead, she kept running from it.

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Simone's battle with panic attacks, medication, and escaping her past

As an adult, Simone’s PTSD manifests in recurrent, intense panic attacks and unpredictable mood swings. Sirens illustrates her severe anxiety, sometimes to the point where she exhibits a full emotional collapse when she feels overwhelmed.

Her health condition makes the sisters anxious, especially Devon, as she often watches Simone spiralling. These scenes aren't just dramatic tensions in the series, as they also reflect how untreated PTSD can hijack daily functioning.

To cope, Simone is prescribed Klonopin (clonazepam), a benzodiazepine well-known for managing panic disorder and acute anxiety. Her prescription is typical of situational use, since continuous use increases the risk of dependence.

However, Simone’s pill bag includes several other medications tied to anxiety and depression, suggesting she’s on a multi-drug regimen. Later in Sirens, Simone immerses herself in a high-society world, working for Michaela Kell, to escape the unresolved scars she carries.

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