Ok, I gotta ask: What is this thing about "Triggers" and protecting ADULTS from them? Safe rooms with pillows to cuddle and soft music? Not having a speaker at a college or university because they may "trigger" students to be s ad?
Excuse me? Did I miss something? Like a plague that cause otherwise normal human beings into helpless, whiny brats? Now before people go commenting about PTSD, and emotional baggage, etc, etc, etc, I know all about them. Depression, Bi Polar, Anxiety, chronic pain...those I am very familiar with . And the best way to treat them and reduce their stranglehold on a person is treatment and coming to grips with it. Medication, talk therapy, cognitive reasoning, all those very helpful and proven effective methods.
Let's start with "triggers". A trigger is something that cause an otherwise sane and rational adult into a thumb sucking child. Or something like that. And the world around the HAS to accommodate them and not allow the trigger to happen. Huh? Rather than being something that the person WITH the sensitivity has to deal with, it becomes everyone else problem. What happened to dealing with things and if necessary, and you aren't ready AVOIDING the situation yourself.? Why does everyone else have to change their lives, or not be exposed to something just because it "triggers" someone to remember a bad event and be sad? PTSD is hard to handle, ask any Vet. But we don't outlaw helicopters because the sound can trigger a flash back in a vet. So why eliminate a class or uninvited a speaker or whatever because it might effect someone. This is not a society problem, this is a YOU problem...and the only one who can help you deal with and overcome the situation.
How about "safe places". And I'm not talking about battered women's shelters and protective places against violence; those are very important and underfunded. I'm talking about a college or work place having to keep a room for students, employees, whatever to go to when they are triggered or feeling bad. I've seen these rooms filled with soft colors, gently music, pillows, stuffed toys...even kittens and puppies to snuggle. I don't get it...I always thought you were supposed to make your home a safe place and just deal with things in the manner of an adult and not like a toddler who needs "mr binkie" and a cuddle.
I just read about a University who cancelled a very controversial and interesting speaker because some of some of the students protested because it could "trigger" some students and cause trauma. Granted, it's been 20 some years ago, but when I went to college it was all ABOUT challenging me and my view points. Triggering me to think about things, even traumatic things, and learn that not everyone feels the same way I do. College was about expanding your mind AND your world and that can't happen if you're not "Triggered" to find out WHY it bothers you so much., and how it needs to be address so it DOESN'T. YOU changed to fit the college and society...it didn't change to fit you.
I've had shitty things happen to me. I've been raped, sexually harassed, attacked, molested as a child. I've had traumas and life events that stained my soul and took part of my heart. But that is MY BAGGAGE TO DEAL WITH. Not the rest of you, not society, not University; MINE. And snuggling a pillow while listening to Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra and having a woman stroke my hair for $15 an hour is NOT the way to deal with things that upset me.
Although...a room with kitties to pet whenever I want? That might be a keeper.
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