Trigger warnings do not work, new study finds

General trigger warnings are not used to address this particular subpopulation. There are medical approved techniques for people with diagnosed psychological ailments, like PTSD, but they are individualized. Psychological ailments are a very diverse set of problems with a even more diverse set of causes.

If we still try to do some general treatment for PTSD it generally comes down to reducing stress. Things like bright lights, loud noise and sudden actions are all things which are known to cause stress, which is why doctors treating PTSD patients recommend against fireworks during New Year's Eve and other national holidays. A bit different from the trigger warnings that the study explored.

But surely the counter-argument is that being confronted with difficult material is the whole point of a liberal education? That in choosing to attend university, one has already consented to this? Continually flagging the material under study as somehow dangerous seems designed to suppress critical discussion.

Please don't remain silent.

Look, I realize that conflict aversion is becoming increasingly mainstream these days, but the single most valuable lesson you can take away from higher education is that everyone (including you) can be wrong, and that's completely okay. The thing that makes what we academically "know" so special is we've refined our understandings such that as many inconsistencies have fallen off through intellectual challenge and empirical proof that what is left has some modicum of predictive power.

That can't happen without speaking out. It's okay to disagree. There is no more demonstrative state of our own capacity for ignorance than being in disagreement with someone else. In that state, two people have individual sets of data that lead them to their own conclusions, which if bridged in spite of being in opposition, either through evidence-based empirical reasoning, or rhetorical exchange enriches everyone witness to the exchange. You're quite literally bringing everyone around you closer together by building bridges capable of reconciling seemingly divergent worldviews. This is one of the key skills needed everyday as an adult.

Don't look at it like you're doing something shameful, or inviting yourself to get hurt. Living the unexamined life does far more harm than any degree of existential crisis caused on the journey to acquire understanding.

Sorry if it's a bit off topic, but hey, it's a trigger.

More on topic, if the use of trigger warnings is actually causing students who don't have a direct need to avoid something to also avoid certain topics, that is highly problemmatic.

What i meant was that even if you like the concept oftrigger warning, surely you wouldn’t think that they will make reading the content less painful? I always assumed that the idea is that people should be able to avoid reading it altogether, I can’t see how it could possibly help reading the works “Trigger warning: rape” before reading about a rape, it would still remind you of the traumatic experience.

We've already had prototypical trigger warnings in that shows with flashing lights carry epilepsy warnings. We accept that certain things can trigger nasty responses in people, therefore it's better to add a brief disclaimer so that people with said issues can avoid it.

That said, in any sort of discussion people usually preface links to videos with violent and disturbing content with some sort of warning. If I for example, decided to drop a video of something gruesome without context I would rightfully be lambasted for doing so.

Also, your attempt at downplaying the seriousness of PTSD is really not needed. You're essentially saying that anything can cause PTSD, therefore PTSD is worthless to worry about.

Why to their long term detriment? If someone is in an online depression support group, for example, and has issues with suicide, how is it detrimental to warn them about a post that contains talk of such things? There is plenty of research about the "contagious" nature of suicide for at-risk populations being exposed to stories and details about it. Allowing someone to make an informed choice about such content can literally save their life.

i avoid drinking poison, is that to my long term detriment?

it doesn't really matter what your personal opinion is on trigger warnings or PTSD is, if someone wishes to avoid a subject it is common courtesy to not bring it up.

people who have triggers are normally aware of their triggers and are hopefully going to therapy to learn coping techniques to deal with them.