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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JoniS on August 13, 2007, at 9:10:38
Sorry, but I dont get what it means to say "triggers" or how to define them, because I thought they could be anything. Like yesterday morning when I looked at a coupon for a restaurant in the newspaper, it triggered me to think of an old memory, which caused great sorrow and sadness that is still spilling over into today.
All kinds of things trigger some painful emotions for me. That's why I dont' understand the warning "triggers"
Can anyone help me to understand this? Maybe what I am thinking of as "triggers" is not what they really are.
Posted by Maria01 on August 13, 2007, at 11:37:57
In reply to Dont understand 'triggers', posted by JoniS on August 13, 2007, at 9:10:38
I think when somone designates a post as "trigger" it serves as a warning that something in the post or comment might trigger difficult feelings or memories in some people. Think of it as sort of a contents advisory.
For example, when you see things like "trigger..CSA" it might mean that some or all of the content of the post might trigger CSA memories in some readers.
Posted by Dinah on August 13, 2007, at 11:43:38
In reply to Dont understand 'triggers', posted by JoniS on August 13, 2007, at 9:10:38
No, that's what they are.
And of course not everyone can possibly know what triggers are for others. I am triggered by mentions of vomit, but I certainly don't expect people to put trigger warnings for such an odd phobia.
But there are some things that are often triggery to others, and people try to be sensitive about that and put warnings. Suicide, self injury, eating disorders, sex, abuse are some common ones. Where to draw the line is difficult for me. Clearly very explicit descriptions would fall into the trigger categories, while mentions of the words might not. I think we add trigger warnings if we're aware of an issue. If we miss something, others who perhaps have been triggered will likely add a warning to the thread. It's nothing to take offense at, since it is sometimes hard to judge in our own threads what might trigger others.
Posted by JoniS on August 13, 2007, at 11:58:11
In reply to Re: Dont understand 'triggers', posted by Dinah on August 13, 2007, at 11:43:38
Posted by Sigismund on August 13, 2007, at 14:56:01
In reply to Re: Dont understand 'triggers', posted by Dinah on August 13, 2007, at 11:43:38
My (hopeful) guess is that you don't understand triggers because they are such nonsense. But hang on. It seems I'm triggered by 'triggers'. Perhaps it's the cloud of moral seriousness that surrounds them? I'd never heard of them until what seems like recent times. Was it the (evident?) failure of psychoanalysis and interminable therapy that led someone to dream this schema up? I'll never warm to it. Feels like notifying the administrators to me.
Posted by sunnydays on August 13, 2007, at 15:47:49
In reply to Trigger 'Trigger', posted by Sigismund on August 13, 2007, at 14:56:01
Nonsense? I think not. It's just a word for a smell that brings back a memory, a word that brings back a memory, etc. I don't even think it would have to be a bad memory, although in psychology that's what it's usually used to mean. It's a word for something that "triggers" a strong emotion or memory in another. And warning people about them is a courtesy so they can avoid being upset if they know mention of a certain subject is likely to upset them. That's all. You don't have to believe in it, but nonsense is a strong word for something that is used here as a way to help people protect themselves.
sunnydays
Posted by Tamar on August 13, 2007, at 18:18:38
In reply to Trigger 'Trigger', posted by Sigismund on August 13, 2007, at 14:56:01
> My (hopeful) guess is that you don't understand triggers because they are such nonsense. But hang on. It seems I'm triggered by 'triggers'. Perhaps it's the cloud of moral seriousness that surrounds them? I'd never heard of them until what seems like recent times. Was it the (evident?) failure of psychoanalysis and interminable therapy that led someone to dream this schema up? I'll never warm to it. Feels like notifying the administrators to me.
I’m not sure I understand you, and yet I feel upset and anxious. Sorry.
I know I feel very distressed when I feel triggered, and I find trigger warnings very helpful. Trigger warnings give me the opportunity to avoid potentially painful material when I’m feeling vulnerable. I don’t expect everyone to know what triggers me (or anyone else). However, I hope that most people would be willing to be sensitive about the sorts of issues that are likely to trigger vulnerable people: issues like child abuse and sexual assault and suicidality.
It looks to me as if you feel distressed at the idea of trigger warnings, but I don’t understand why or how. Does it feel like you’re being pressured into expressing yourself in a particular way? Or that your views on triggery issues aren’t respected? Or something else?
And is my response the sort of thing you mean by ‘moral seriousness’? I don’t really know what you meant by that.
Sorry that I didn’t understand you.
Tamar
Posted by Maria01 on August 13, 2007, at 19:44:54
In reply to Re: Trigger 'Trigger' » Sigismund, posted by Tamar on August 13, 2007, at 18:18:38
I read Sigismund's comment, and don't find it offensive. One of the faults of psychology, and psychoanalysis in particular, is that it tends to pathologize nearly every thought and action, up to and including things that can also be seen as beneficial. In other words, psychoanalysis can really take things too seriously...in my opinion. Every thought, movtive, action, inaction, etc. is seen and interpreted with such gravity and seriousness. Maybe designating things as triggering fell into that realm for sigismund? Hard to tell. At any rate, the comment was a good one because it presented a different side of the issue.
We could also flip the script and see triggers as potentially informative...i.e. "I'm not the only one who feels that way," etc.
The declaration of triggers as "nonesense" was not a personal attack, so it might help to keep that in mind. It's only an opinion.
Posted by Sigismund on August 13, 2007, at 20:30:47
In reply to Re: Trigger 'Trigger' » Sigismund, posted by sunnydays on August 13, 2007, at 15:47:49
When I think of the things that have traumatised me, it is not the memory of them that is difficult. The only thing bothers me is difficult relations between people. The contents of a post are not, on their own, usually difficult for me. The interactions between people can be potentially difficult. So the difficulty for me lies between the posts, rather than in them, perhaps in what is implied but left unsaid.
The other aspect is that I have reservations about the capacity of the conscious rational mind to have much helpful to say about our minds/psyches/souls. Part of this is from my cultural background......Jesus and Oscar Wilde, Eliot and King Lear, it's paradox from beginning to end.
I suppose that was what I meant.
Posted by sunnydays on August 13, 2007, at 20:50:38
In reply to This is how it is for me, posted by Sigismund on August 13, 2007, at 20:30:47
Just because memories are not distressing for you, however, does not mean memories are not distressing for others.... so generalizations may not be appropriate in this situation.
sunnydays
Posted by Tamar on August 14, 2007, at 4:41:56
In reply to Re: Trigger 'Trigger' » Tamar, posted by Maria01 on August 13, 2007, at 19:44:54
> I read Sigismund's comment, and don't find it offensive.
That’s fine. We can each respond from a different perspective.
> One of the faults of psychology, and psychoanalysis in particular, is that it tends to pathologize nearly every thought and action, up to and including things that can also be seen as beneficial. In other words, psychoanalysis can really take things too seriously...in my opinion. Every thought, movtive, action, inaction, etc. is seen and interpreted with such gravity and seriousness.
Well, gravity and seriousness are regular features of any academic or clinical field. How serious is too serious?
> At any rate, the comment was a good one because it presented a different side of the issue.
Presenting different sides of an issue may be good, but not invariably, and the value of any presentation may depend on the manner in which it is presented.
> We could also flip the script and see triggers as potentially informative...i.e. "I'm not the only one who feels that way," etc.
Yes, sure.
> The declaration of triggers as "nonesense" was not a personal attack, so it might help to keep that in mind. It's only an opinion.
I didn’t take it as a personal attack. I simply gave my personal response.
Posted by Maria01 on August 14, 2007, at 10:10:19
In reply to Re: Trigger 'Trigger' » Maria01, posted by Tamar on August 14, 2007, at 4:41:56
>Well, gravity and seriousness are regular features of any academic or clinical field. How serious is too serious?<
When people forget their strenths and positive attributes; we all have them, regardless of how horrible our upbringing is. They may get overshadowed by all the focus on the horrible things, but it's still there. This may scare you, but there is room for some levity in even the most dry and serious academic discipline. Psychology is ultimately about people, and not just their pathology. A lot of therapies have become so focused on the clients' pathology that the flip side( a person's strength and resilience) gets neglected.
> We could also flip the script and see triggers as potentially informative...i.e. "I'm not the only one who feels that way," etc.
<Yes, sure.<
So Sorry you feel this way. Hopefully, things will turn around for you so that you can empathize a bit with relevant things on some of the trigger posts, or at least understand that your situation is a lot less isolating than you first thought, and that there are others working through it, too.
Remember, this is all just my personal opinion. If you agree with it, fine. If you don't agree with it, that's fine, too.
This is the end of the thread.
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