Use of the term "Triggered"

[Pecan]

Am I the only one that's noted the increased usage of this term recently? By "recently" I mean for sure within the last calendar year and if I'm not mistaken it's kind of accelerated in just the last few months. Where does it come from? 

To clarify a bit, the usage I'm noticing is mostly self-referential, as in "when you said _____, that triggered me", or something to that effect. There's almost never any explanation beyond that about what the result of said triggering is, but presumably it isn't suicide as these people seem to live on to whatever event triggers them next.

Places I've noticed this include Reddit, Twitch, and YouTube. 

Does the fact that I've noticed this and find it rather odd make me an old fogey like my parents? Am I just not hip enough to get down with the lingo of today's youth? Should I just give up and join the AARP? 

[Dr. Pepper]

Saying something "triggered" you is just a different way of saying "not safe for work" or "shouldn't be said in polite company" or "that's not a discussion for church" or "I don't want to hear that" or "that upsets me, please don't discuss it".  If you want to know why something you said upsets a person, just ask.  

[mankytoes]

13 minutes ago, Pecan said:

Am I the only one that's noted the increased usage of this term recently? By "recently" I mean for sure within the last calendar year and if I'm not mistaken it's kind of accelerated in just the last few months. Where does it come from? 

To clarify a bit, the usage I'm noticing is mostly self-referential, as in "when you said _____, that triggered me", or something to that effect. There's almost never any explanation beyond that about what the result of said triggering is, but presumably it isn't suicide as these people seem to live on to whatever event triggers them next.

Places I've noticed this include Reddit, Twitch, and YouTube. 

Does the fact that I've noticed this and find it rather odd make me an old fogey like my parents? Am I just not hip enough to get down with the lingo of today's youth? Should I just give up and join the AARP? 

It comes from triggering post traumatic stress disorder, so usually used by military veterens or rape victims. It has been widely appropriated to relate to far less traumatic experiences, which has caused a lot of backlash.

[Chaldanya]

6 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said:

Saying something "triggered" you is just a different way of saying "not safe for work" or "shouldn't be said in polite company" or "that's not a discussion for church" or "I don't want to hear that" or "that upsets me, please don't discuss it".  If you want to know why something you said upsets a person, just ask.  

Triggering is quite a bit different from "something upset me". It can be a visceral reaction to something that takes you back to relieve a traumatic time in your life. Mostly it was around content warnings for rape or issues with veterans and PTSD. 

As an aside, I don't think it's up to anyone to diagnose someone else's cause of trauma.

[Dr. Pepper]

2 minutes ago, Chaldanya said:

Triggering is quite a bit different from "something upset me". It can be a visceral reaction to something that takes you back to relieve a traumatic time in your life. Mostly it was around content warnings for rape or issues with veterans and PTSD. 

As an aside, I don't think it's up to anyone to diagnose someone else's cause of trauma.

It's used much more casually these days. This is what the OP was asking about.

[Chaldanya]

1 minute ago, Dr. Pepper said:

It's used much more casually these days. 

Maybe so, but I tell ya, if someone has said that something upsets them I think it's OK to be considerate of that.

[Chaldanya]

Ooh, forgot to reply to this

To clarify a bit, the usage I'm noticing is mostly self-referential, as in "when you said _____, that triggered me", or something to that effect. There's almost never any explanation beyond that about what the result of said triggering is, but presumably it isn't suicide as these people seem to live on to whatever event triggers them next.

Surely if someone said "speaking about war/rape/domestic violence, triggered me" it's plainly obvious what the problem is, no? And speaking from experience I could not have discussed with anyone anything about my experience that triggered me. So asking for an explanation even if you feel it's not a genuine reaction to trauma is probably not a nice thing to do.

[Dr. Pepper]

Just now, Chaldanya said:

Maybe so, but I tell ya, if someone has said that something upsets them I think it's OK to be considerate of that.

I agree.  I don't have a problem with it and simply believe people when they say something upsets them.

Ok, maybe that's a lie.  I don't feel the same way about people who mock those who say something triggered them.

[HexMachina]

Actually I see it mostly used mockingly these days. In the same context, but by the person who offends others. So someone takes offence to what another has said, points it out and that person will say some bullshit like "Ooooooh, Helena's triggered!" (Or even more annoyingly, #triggered...). So I guess it's used in the same context here as Chaldanya was talking about, only people are attempting to flip it, a little like SJW I suppose.

[Altherion]

28 minutes ago, Pecan said:

Does the fact that I've noticed this and find it rather odd make me an old fogey like my parents? Am I just not hip enough to get down with the lingo of today's youth? Should I just give up and join the AARP?

No, these words come and go. They often start out as specific to a given community and then spread more widely. Also, they're not necessarily specific to young people.

By the way, I highly recommend the Urban Dictionary for terms like this. You may have to read the first 10 definitions or so to get a real feel for the term, but that will usually give you both what the word means and a variety of attitudes towards it (i.e. both serious usage and mockery). Furthermore, unless you're easily offended, it is often quite funny.

[felice]

34 minutes ago, Chaldanya said:

Surely if someone said "speaking about war/rape/domestic violence, triggered me" it's plainly obvious what the problem is, no?

Though people can have genuine PTSD flashbacks triggered by much less obvious things; eg someone holding up a stick of butter, taking an example that's been in the news recently. So it's not reasonable to disregard people's claims of being triggered by something just because it seems innocuous to you, and no, it's not generally appropriate to ask for details. And having been through trauma is distressingly common, so I expect a significant part of the increased usage is simply people admitting it more often.

[Altherion]

9 minutes ago, felice said:

So it's not reasonable to disregard people's claims of being triggered by something just because it seems innocuous to you, and no, it's not generally appropriate to ask for details.

In that case, what mechanism is there to prevent the unethical from using this idea to shut down discussion of specific topics? You can't make norms so broad and unrestricted; that's what generates the mockery and diminishes the utility of the norm even for uses which, prior to the attempted expansion, were respected by the vast majority.

[Crazydog7]

1 hour ago, Dr. Pepper said:

It's used much more casually these days. This is what the OP was asking about.

 

 

I butted heads with a group of idiots over this about a year ago.  I have a form of complex PTSD myself so

I can go into more detail over PM if anyone is interested.  I understand that triggering is a very real thing.  That being said it is far more often used by people who need some kind of medical excuse for their hysterical bullshit.  So it preserves their right to feel like a precious little snowflake who is the only person in history to ever live through X tragic event but they also use it as a shield to hide. 

I have learned a lot about myself over the last 18 months and if there is one thing I know for sure its that there are an awful lot of people who have to know the latest mental health buzzword so in addition to feeling like the most damaged person in the room they can also feel like the biggest wiseass. 

[felice]

20 minutes ago, Altherion said:

In that case, what mechanism is there to prevent the unethical from using this idea to shut down discussion of specific topics?

Have that discussion where the person in question doesn't have to see it? In the case of this forum, I'd expect them to simply stay out of a thread discussing a triggering topic they don't want to deal with.

[Dr. Pepper]

10 minutes ago, Crazydog7 said:

 

 

I butted heads with a group of idiots over this about a year ago.  I have a form of complex PTSD myself so

I can go into more detail over PM if anyone is interested.  I understand that triggering is a very real thing.  That being said it is far more often used by people who need some kind of medical excuse for their hysterical bullshit.  So it preserves their right to feel like a precious little snowflake who is the only person in history to ever live through X tragic event but they also use it as a shield to hide. 

 

I have learned a lot about myself over the last 18 months and if there is one thing I know for sure its that there are an awful lot of people who have to know the latest mental health buzzword so in addition to feeling like the most damaged person in the room they can also feel like the biggest wiseass. 

 

Yeah, I'm on permanent disability for PTSD, so....  

And that doesn't give me license to disparage others when they discuss something that triggers them.  One thing you should have learned over the past 18 months is that you're not at all alone and that people experience things differently.  One person's tragic event may be someone else's shrug off.  You're not a special snowflake with your diagnosis.  

Pretty sure those people you butted heads with a year ago weren't the ones who were idiots.  

[Crazydog7]

10 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said:

Yeah, I'm on permanent disability for PTSD, so....  

And that doesn't give me license to disparage others when they discuss something that triggers them.  One thing you should have learned over the past 18 months is that you're not at all alone and that people experience things differently.  One person's tragic event may be someone else's shrug off.  You're not a special snowflake with your diagnosis.  

Pretty sure those people you butted heads with a year ago weren't the ones who were idiots.  

 

Well hello Mr. Pot my name Is Mr. Kettle.  Like I said you can have the details of why I think people who used the word “trigged” as some kind of talisman are full of crap.  PM me I’ll give you context. 

[Dr. Pepper]

3 minutes ago, Crazydog7 said:

 

Well hello Mr. Pot my name Is Mr. Kettle.  Like I said you can have the details of why I think people who used the word “trigged” as some kind of talisman are full of crap.  PM me I’ll give you context. 

 

I don't need your context.  

You wrote that people who claim traumatic experiences and triggers are just trying to be special snowflakes.  Basically you want to be your own special snowflake.  Seems you just want to feel like the most damaged person in the room.  Sounds like you're the one full of crap.

By the way, it's attitudes like this one that prevent people from getting the care they need.  

[The Anti-Targ]

Seems to me that it's simply short hand for "X, caused a negative emotional response in mehim/her." I think the concept and even the turn of phrase of triggering an emotional response isn't new. Abbreviating it to "triggered" and universally associating it with a negative emotional response (anger, sadness, despair etc), is recent.

 

[Crazydog7]

14 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said:

By the way, it's attitudes like this one that prevent people from getting the care they need.  

 

That is the entire point of what I was trying to say.  It not enough to be "trigged" good for you we can all have a parade.  Its acknowledging that trigger and moving forward that is important.  PTSD used to mean treatment for people who survived a really traumatic War or some other sort of disaster.  That is real.  "Triggered" has morphed into this awful thing that are more likely to see being used by self righteous people on the internet or people in real life that are equally self righteous.    

Trigger Warning or tiggered could mean a video you don't want to watch or an article you don't read.  Not exactly on the same level as a guy who lost his entire family in a care accident. 

Now since you have demonstrated that you aren't going to give me the time of day meaning I guess that your POV is valid and mine is not at least give this article a shot it more or less sums up what I mean. 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/05/trigger-warnings-can-be-counterproductive

[Altherion]

40 minutes ago, felice said:

Have that discussion where the person in question doesn't have to see it? In the case of this forum, I'd expect them to simply stay out of a thread discussing a triggering topic they don't want to deal with.

I don't think ceding the venue to the unethical qualifies as a good conflict resolution mechanism. It might happen in the short term with either people who are non-confrontational or venues where the censorship favors the "triggered", but the person who has been forced to relocate will feel aggrieved which, in the long term, helps lead to very amusing surprises for the "triggered" and their censorial allies.