Trigger: Something that sets off a memory tape or flashback transporting the person back to the event of his or her original trauma. A person's triggers are activated through one or more of the five senses: sight, smell, sound, touch, and taste. Children and adults can have triggers. (Definition from Psych Central)
I've been seeing the word "triggered" thrown around on social media quite a bit over the past year or so as a synonym for offended, upset, and/or emotional. It's usually used in a negative sense these days, to imply the whole "liberal or feminist snowflake" idea. A couple of times, though, I've even seen people say they're triggered in a joking manner. That isn't what being triggered actually means, and that's not okay.
When someone, like myself, is triggered, it doesn't mean I'm upset, offended, or just being an emotional snowflake. It means something in my environment has pulled up memories or flashbacks and re-experiencing of trauma. It feels like I'm right back there, reliving the traumatic event, and that can be a terrifying experience. It means I may have to call my therapist to help me stay functional and not panicked in this situation. It means I may have to take medication, depending on how intense the traumatic memories and feelings are. Being triggered isn't something people recover from easily. It can take hours, days, or even weeks to come back to our "normal" after a trigger has re-activated the feelings of trauma.
When we use actual mental health terms like "triggered" outside of their original meaning and context, we're devaluing those clinical terms and making them seem less serious than they actually are. By doing that, we're, in yet another way, making light of people's trauma and suffering. We're telling them, yet again, that their suffering and trauma are less serious and less important, simply because the suffering and trauma are mental health-related. We're giving anyone that hears us use these terms incorrectly and flippantly the idea that it's okay to see triggers as just silly little things that upset people or that it's okay to make suffering into a joke. It's the same thing as saying, "I'm so OCD" just because you like your space neat and tidy or "I'm so bipolar" just because you feel moody.
When we use mental health terms incorrectly, we're actually hurting people. We're keeping the mental health stigma alive and well. When someone with an actual trigger hears us make light of triggers in conversation or sees it on social media, that person is less likely to mention that they have any triggers and less likely to seek help to heal from the trauma.
I'll end with this: Words have the power to hurt or help people. Words like "triggered" used incorrectly or flippantly have the power to stop someone from taking their trauma seriously enough to get help. We should all be a little more mindful of the words we use in our conversations and on our social media.
Source:
https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-a-trigger/
No comments:
Post a Comment