The definition of "trigger warning" is often lost and twisted based on misunderstanding of its purpose. It is okay to not understand what a trigger warning does or what it means, because you can learn. But it is not okay to speak against the use of them without such understanding. If you don't know what a trigger warning is, or haven't heard of them, hopefully this article can help put it in perspective and address a few common misconceptions.

I think it would be easiest to understand by first exploring the definition of a trigger, stated as, "A trigger in psychology is a stimulus such as a smell, sound, or sight that triggers feelings of trauma" (The Psychology of Triggers and How They Affect Mental Health"). Triggers affect people who have survived trauma, and those who have some type of mental disorder or illness. Examples of causes of triggers include history of abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, panic disorders, previous self-harm, etc.

A "trigger" does basically what it sounds like--causes some type of reaction to happen to that person. This can mean a number of different things, varying from person to person just as what triggers people varies. Being triggered can result in anxiety attacks, flashbacks, desires to use unhealthy coping mechanisms, etc. It makes battling what the person is dealing with even harder.

Trigger warnings, then, are defined as "A statement at the start of a piece of writing, video, etc. alerting the reader or viewer to the fact that it contains potentially distressing material: ‘there probably should be a trigger warning for people dealing with grief’ ‘trigger warning: sexual assault discussed very bluntly’" ("Trigger warning - definition of trigger warning in English | Oxford Dictionaries"). These alert people with triggers to potentially harmful content.

When given a trigger warning, a person can choose to not put themselves at risk, or they can readily prepare to handle what is ahead with the knowledge of what it contains. Trigger warnings are important because they give people options and keep people safe.

Trigger warnings and triggers are often mistook for censorship, people getting offended easily, and people being mildly upset or uncomfortable. This could not be further from the truth. Trigger warnings exist to keep people safe, not sheltered, not spoiled, not unchallenged, not in a bubble. They exist to help people heal from trauma.

It's possible, when trying to understand trigger warnings, to think of them like life jackets. If you're on a boat and you're given a life jacket, you know that there is a possibility that you will find yourself in the water. If you do, you will hopefully be safe and kept afloat by that life jacket; it will help you stay afloat in an otherwise dangerous situation. And there is nothing wrong with needing or wearing a life jacket. Whether or not you really will need it, it is there. Just to be safe.

Stay safe, everyone.

Works Cited

“The Psychology of Triggers and How They Affect Mental Health.” www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/trigger.

“Trigger warning - definition of trigger warning in English | Oxford Dictionaries.” en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/trigger_warning.