2 minute read
From the editors
TRIGGER WARNING: This commentary contains mention of trauma that may be distressing to some. Trauma is like a low buzz in the background — sometimes we don’t even notice it, but sometimes, it screams in our ears and we don’t know when it will be quiet again.
For those living with trauma, it’s the seemingly random, common things — a song in a coffee shop, the smell of rubbing alcohol, the purple hoodie collecting dust on the top shelf — that convince our brains and body we’re in danger and there is no way out.
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These things can be unavoidable; we often can’t escape the daily things that bring back memories of trauma. However, sometimes we can.
As mental health becomes increasingly valued by Western societies, the implementation of trigger warnings — a message presented to an audience to warn them that something contains potentially distressing material — has become more mainstream. Those opposed to trigger warnings sometimes argue that people need to face their trauma and warnings simply allow them to avoid coming to terms with the events that occurred, whether it be sexual assault or abuse, death or returning from war. While this argument holds some truth, a survivor should be able to heal from their trauma at their own pace and trigger warnings allow them to do just that without heedlessly thrusting them into the deep end.
Additionally, survivors should be able to think back on their trauma when and how they choose to. On the popular social media app Tik Tok, many users have begun sharing their trauma through satirical videos as a form of coping with their experiences. Although there are different ways to process one’s trauma, the absence of trigger warnings on these videos and other social media platforms can in turn create more trauma for others. Furthermore, according to the American Psychological Association, vivid memories of trauma are more distressing if they happen without any warning than if the survivor intentionally thinks about the event.
This is not to say that conversations surrounding topics like sexual assault should be completely halted. In fact, I urge you to talk about mental health and trauma, but in a way that is mindful of everyone’s experiences.
While it is virtually impossible for everything to come with a trigger warning, the things that can, should. Giving a trigger warning, whether it be verbal or written, takes less than 10 seconds, and although seemingly inconsequential and overly sensitive to some, can make a world of difference for survivors of trauma.
