"This has to be the funniest thing I've ever seen. Got this person so #Triggered they actually changed their screen name for me."

"Yes, and? People of faith tend to say grace before they eat anything. Are you #triggered? Are you going to melt, #snowflake?"

"I’d like to buy a vowel....#Triggered #LiberalismIsAMentalDisorder #CloserNation"

Triggered.

It's a word that's all over social media. Often (but definitely not only!) used by conservatives to bash liberals for being upset about policy change, the word "triggered" is used to mock people for being upset about something. It originates from the generally liberal push for trigger warnings on media and articles, and it generally means that people are being "too sensitive" about a particular issue.

However, this usage of "triggered" is a gross mockery of what it actually means.

The word "trigger" in this context is used to actually denote something that brings someone who has been traumatized in one way or another anxiety. For example, for a veteran with PTSD, a trigger might be a loud noise that reminds them of gunfire or explosives. For a victim of sexual assault, depictions of rape in media could definitely be a trigger because it reminds them of their trauma. And when people are "triggered," it doesn't just mean that they're upset--it can bring on vivid flashbacks, full-blown panic attacks, depressive spells, the urge for self-harm, and so many other serious consequences.

It's so much more than just being upset.

This doesn't have to be a single large event, either--victims of abuse, be it physical, emotional, or sexual, can also have triggers. People on the autism spectrum can have things that trigger anxiety. Anyone who has dealt with a traumatic experience or struggles with mental illness can have a trigger that brings them intense distress.

So how to fix this? Well, some commonly triggering things can be given trigger warnings. For example, an in-class reading with mention of rape could have a trigger warning at the beginning, just stating that the reading discusses rape and to read with discretion. As such, students will have time to mentally prepare themselves and, at the most extreme, make arrangements with their teacher for an alternative. It takes very little effort and makes a huge difference to people who are triggered by these things.

Some of you might still be saying, "Well, this is stupid, you don't have trigger warnings in 'real life'!" But we really do. For example, the other day I bought a granola bar. This granola bar had a warning on the back: "Contains tree nuts. Processed in a facility that processes peanuts." This is a legally mandated warning to look out for the health of consumers. Someone with a nut allergy could know to either prepare for a potential reaction or avoid the food altogether if it isn't worth the harm to their body.

"Stop being so sensitive!" someone might say. Well, buddy, people with PTSD or other mental disorders that come with triggers really wish they could. Going into a panic attack isn't a matter of "sensitivity," it's a matter of issues that are still being worked through. It can take years of therapy and medication to stop things from being triggering, and even then, people have bad days. The fact remains that repeated exposure to the trigger, in many cases, does NOT desensitize when not paired with therapy--it just makes the person's life miserable.

"It can't be that bad!" you might protest. But I assure you, it is. Panic attacks are often mistaken for heart attacks--your chest can hurt, your legs might turn to jelly, your breathing might be constricted, and on top of that, some of them come with an intense, horrific feeling that you are about to die. They are utterly uncontrollable without lots of therapy, and as someone who has had many, they are not an experience that anyone wants to remember.

I can say, without exaggeration, that they are a living Hell.

That isn't even scratching the surface of flashbacks. Though I've never experienced an intense flashback, I can tell you that no one wants to have them. They can cause a complete dissociation from what is real, a vivid sensation that you are back in the moment of your worst trauma. And, again, it is unavoidable. Yes, they can be worked through, but they are, in fact, hellish for those who experience them.

Being "triggered" is just more than getting upset over political beliefs you don't agree with. It's an intense, awful experience with mental illness, one that no one should have to go through. Sure, not all triggers can be avoided, but trigger warnings can help immeasurably.

And for those to actually happen, we need people to stop making the word "triggered" into a joke.

So for this Mental Health Awareness Month, stop using "triggered" lightly. Understand just what it means to be "triggered" and show some actual compassion to those who are. Once being "triggered" stops being the butt of a joke, people who deal with serious mental health issues will actually be able to get the help they need.