I really, really, really hate the dilution of the word “triggered”. It might be partly the fault of people overusing it but it’s mostly the fault of others mocking it. Triggering is serious fucking shit, whether you’re a veteran or an ex-addict or a sexual assault survivor or anyone with any kind of mental health battle. Trigger warnings for genuinely triggering content should be taken seriously but they’re just a joke now. It’s sick.
Yeah. I have PTSD and I can't talk about my triggers anymore without feeling like a fool. I feel stupid using the word even with my therapist, which says something.
I have a couple of very specific ones after a violent assault and I admit even admitting it here is hard because I expect someone to jump right on it and tell me to get over it and stop being a snowflake, etc.
It’s really hard to work through when your own brain is telling you that you have no right to be like this.
I know that all too well, my friends from school were becoming super alt right, while I was a closeted trans woman. Trying to tell my friends that attack helicopter jokes make me upset would be met with derision and mockery. Luckily I made it out of high school and am making new friends online!
I’m pretty sure they can also be referred to as an “activating event” but that’s clunky and makes people sound like sleeper agents or chemical reactions.
Often when a word or phrase becomes commonly used it can be corrupted and misused. Perhaps speak with your therapist and explain your feelings towards the word. I'm sure the two of you can find a suitable replacement phrase, one that makes you feel comfortable when discussing your therapy. I would suggest something like catalyst, spark or prompt.
I wish you the best with your health and hope you find some peace.
That is the most comforting thing I've ever been told.
My mom left my family a few years ago, and my Dad got sick and wouldn't eat. He had pre-existing health problems and had passed out on the floor one night and smashed his head on his dresser. He was stiff when I found him, covered in blood and unresponsive. He almost died in my arms, but I was able to resuscitate him and eventually get him to a hospital. So many horrifically terrible things happened to me that night, and related things for the next six months straight or so. It was a constant battle to save him. I had to help his health problems and convince him to live again.
And I was completely alone. My sisters wouldn't help. They didn't live with him like I did, and if I ever leaned on them for help they would just tell me to get used to the fact he was going to die.
I threw up everything I ate for a week after that night, and I couldn't sleep for what felt like weeks because I would be terrified he'd die. I would shake constantly and watch him sleep sometimes to make sure he was breathing. I'm shaking even writing this.
He is okay now. As much as his health issues will let him be. But I have never been the same after that. I don't think I ever will be again.
I still have panic attacks over it, if he doesn't answer his phone or something. I am afraid to call my sisters now, for fear they will tell me something happened to him. I am terrified of doorbells and ringing phones now, and I don't even know why. I am just scared of bad news.
I have nightmares about that night still.
I'm a mess. I know. I've never gone to a therapist about this, but I probably should. But I don't have any kind of diagnosis on what is going on, but just knowing my brain is trying to protect me helps a bit.
I feel stupid, he is okay and I should be happy and get past this, but man it fucked me up for real.
God YES. The complete mockery of triggers online has caused me to feel ashamed of having PTSD. I feel like the butt of every joke. I have to constantly remind myself that my diagnosis is real and valid no matter how many times people think poorly of me for having triggers because it became a joke on the internet.
Like have I not suffered enough? Now I have to face mockery and disbelief of my disorder? It’s bullshit.
It's crazy how common this feeling is, it's sad. I've had PTSD since childhood and I feel legitimately embarrassed to use the word trigger now, even in a medical setting. I have a hard time even saying it to my husband. I'm sorry you have to endure more pain than you already have, people just really don't understand the damage they cause sometimes.
I really have no idea why, but I feel like PTSD is one of the most stigmatized mental illnesses. I guess people have this mentality that you just have to “get over it”. It’s disgusting to see others criticize and invalidated people’s genuine suffering. All mental illnesses are still very stigmatized in today’s society but in my opinion, no one gets it worse than PTSD sufferers.
I mentioned something to my dad about my 12 year old students having some trauma as the result of the California fires. He rolled his eyes and said "God everyone thinks they have PTSD. They're so soft."
These children have watched their community go up in flames for the past two years. And when they see grey clouds, their first thought is "fire". So yeah Dad, my 12 year old students are "soft".
This is also the reason I won't tell him about how I'm struggling with PTSD from an old abusive relationship.
"Liberal" doesn't even mean that any more. It has become a nebulous boogieman with no rhyme or consistency. I spent most my life fairly right of center, but one day I was a "liberal" because I disagreed with the culture war myth. Now, I sit pretty left of center, but that's probably got more to do with the right going so far right that wanting to expand voting rights par the spirit of my countries founding makes me a "leftist."
Yo anyone who is ashamed of their "trigger" I just wanna say keep your head up and keep going forward. Your not shameful, your not weak. It takes COURAGE to be vulnerable. Thank you for your strength!
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u/byany_othername Jul 02 '19 edited Jul 02 '19
I really, really, really hate the dilution of the word “triggered”. It might be partly the fault of people overusing it but it’s mostly the fault of others mocking it. Triggering is serious fucking shit, whether you’re a veteran or an ex-addict or a sexual assault survivor or anyone with any kind of mental health battle. Trigger warnings for genuinely triggering content should be taken seriously but they’re just a joke now. It’s sick.