Read on Twitter
Person: *posts an unmarked video with triggering content*
Comment: Hey, can you please add a TW next time?
Replies: GET OVER IT! CLOSE OUT THE VIDEO! GET OFF THE INTERNET! JUST DON'T WATCH IT! GROW A THICKER SKIN!
Those people do not understand how trauma and triggers work.
Comment: Hey, can you please add a TW next time?
Replies: GET OVER IT! CLOSE OUT THE VIDEO! GET OFF THE INTERNET! JUST DON'T WATCH IT! GROW A THICKER SKIN!
Those people do not understand how trauma and triggers work.
Content (especially video or images) that feature commonly triggering things should be marked with a TW or CW so people know before they engage with the content and can avoid it.
This often relates to gory or violent images.
This often relates to gory or violent images.
If someone with past trauma is having a nice time scrolling through Twitter and suddenly comes across a triggering image, it can throw their mental health out of balance immediately. It's not necessarily in their control, and can have severe consequences.
The triggered individual can have anxiety attacks, depression, intrusive thoughts, or in some cases (flashing lights) even seizures. It's different than just being bothered by something you saw. It relates back to past trauma in some way.
For an example, my parents divorced when I was young. I don't even have memories of that time, but hearing a man and a woman scream at each other in any context causes my anxiety to skyrocket. Just thinking about it now, I'm rocking back and forth as I type.
This isn't a case of "growing thicker skin" or "getting over it". My brain has associated couples yelling at each other with danger so strongly that even in a safe situation, my brain triggers the fight-or-flight response when shown this stimuli.
Therapy can certainly help lessen the response to these triggers, but unfortunately not everyone has access to quality therapy, and even then, triggers can still remain.
The point of adding a trigger warning or content warning to content is so those who've experienced trauma can have a good time on the internet. It's not that hard to add "TW: [trigger]" to your tweet, and it can help someone else avoid content that could mess them up mentally.
It's really about looking out for other people. It's a simple way to care about others, and it's potentially life-saving.
Please put trigger warnings on your content. :)
Please put trigger warnings on your content. :)
