CHRONIC is a narrative exploring a young woman's journey of self-harm, which began in childhood as a response to a difficult upbringing in the Midwest. The film uses visually rich, optically-printed scenes to depict Gretchen’s experiences from her punk youth through a mental hospital stay and her eventual move to a large city. Scripted scenes are interwoven with documentary and found footage to illustrate the culture surrounding Gretchen, her internal thoughts, and her relationships from birth to her final days.