The subject of trigger warnings has become widely discussed, especially after the University of Chicago told incoming freshman that they do not support trigger warnings and accusing the use of them to be a form of censorship. Yes, of course it is important to expose students to different perspectives and yes, of course I would want my own children one day to be open-minded and willing to discuss varying topics with different people. Yes, of course I do not think it is right to silence people or actively try to shame others’ opinions.
However, the proper use of trigger warnings does not prevent that from happening.
By rejecting trigger warnings, the University of Chicago and others only succeed in ignoring the millions of Americans that suffer from mental illnesses such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Though PTSD is commonly associated with war trauma and veterans, this disorder can be found in people, young and old, who have experienced any sort of trauma. According to PTSD United, “PTSD is recognized as a psychobiological mental disorder than can affect survivors not only of combat experience, but also terrorist attacks, natural disasters, serious accidents, assault or abuse, or even sudden and major emotional losses.”
Here’s a few questions to think about: Would you subject a war veteran to a fun, haunted house without informing them beforehand that there would be a lot of jump-scares and depictions of violence? Would you have a victim of sexual violence watch a film about rape without telling them the subject matter first?
The brain is a tricky, unique organ in our bodies. It does this funny little thing where it wires and rewires itself based on individual experiences. Thus, different peoples’ brains have varying perceptions and responses to the same stimuli. While a haunted house on Halloween might be fun for you, it might give the war veteran a panic attack because it triggers the memory of having to constantly be able to make split second, life/death decisions in combat. While a film with a rape scene might be informative and a provocative thing for you to watch, the victim of sexual violence might be able to relate too well to the scene and be caused mental duress.
The purpose behind trigger warnings is that it is exactly what it says it is: a warning. Just like a person running an amusement park would warn people with a heart condition not to go on the roller coaster with a bunch of loops, teachers and other professionals should take the five seconds it takes out of their day to inform their students that a film or reading has the potential to trigger very real emotions and memories of traumatic experiences.
Trigger warnings gives people the chance to mentally prepare themselves for what is to come so they are not tossed into a whirlwind of unwanted emotional response. Either that or it gives students the chance to inform their professor that they are unable to attend a certain lecture because it will cause them distress. Both responses are completely valid and are not a form of censorship.
Just because you cannot see a mental illness, does not mean that people do not have them. It does not mean they aren’t real and it certainly does not mean that people who suffer from mental illness are just “too sensitive”. Self-care is important and encouraging self-care starts with recognizing the fact that people come from different walks of life.
