[catiopatio]

> I'm often triggered by depictions of loving families.

What does “triggered” actually mean, specifically?

Regardless, that seems like a serious mental health issue.

You are responsible for and in control of your own emotions. If you don’t feel that’s true, you need to spend more time in serious therapy, not demanding “trigger” warnings.

[Mezzie]

I generally agree.

I mean 'triggered' in the PTSD sense of the term since I have PTSD. I'm nominally the population served by trigger warnings, but I find the cultural practices around them not helpful because they assume a common experience when PTSD triggers are very personal and in addition trigger warnings are accompanied by a 'walk on eggshells' culture which clashes with the desensitivity/disassociation that also accommodates PTSD.

And I am in therapy, thanks. You should probably take some reading comprehension classes though.

[TheGhostOfBoris]

Its disappointing on HN to see posts like yours voted down, presumably because somebody disagrees with it, rather than them taking the effort to post a sensible rebuttal.

[Mezzie]

I downvoted because before the comment was edited, it contained a snide 'that sounds like a you problem'.

Others may have been reacting to that as well as it's not a productive addition to the discussion. (Also why I was snarky in my reply, which I will not be editing.)

[catiopatio]

I removed that line within seconds, in an attempt to communicate more productively.

Frankly, I now wish I hadn’t.

If you actually get triggered by seeing “happy families”, that’s absolutely a serious mental illness, and not only is it not anyone else’s concern, but by advertising it, you almost certainly are reinforcing it.

Being unwell is not something to celebrate or wallow in, and the creation of spaces that encourage such self-destructive antisocial behavior — tumblr comes to mind — has been to the detriment of society at large.

[Mezzie]

Yes, I am seriously mentally ill. I'm in therapy, on medication, and currently orienting my life to focus on getting better (I stepped back from career progression). Do you think I introduce myself as, "Hi, I'm Mezzie, my triggers are X, Y, and Z?" I mentioned my illness in this context because it's relevant. Talking about something in a matter of fact way when it's relevant to a discussion =/= 'advertising' it, 'celebrating' it, or 'wallowing' in it.

I also mention my Multiple Sclerosis when it's relevant. Is discussing my spasticity 'wallowing' in it?

Why is your first instinct to shame the suffering person for talking about it? We shouldn't celebrate it, but nor should we ban any discussion of it socially because it makes you uncomfortable. I'm sorry that you clearly have emotional reactions to frank discussions of mental illness; are you in therapy for that?

And again, work on your reading comprehension. I'm arguing against trigger warning culture because even if I take its assertions at face value, it doesn't help the people it purports to help. It's a refutation of the argument that 'trigger warnings help people with PTSD'. I have PTSD, which is relevant to refuting that argument. That's why I mentioned it.