We must expose ourselves to trauma in order to overcome our aversion toward it
Seeing people as fragile leads to the notion that they must always be protected by discomfort. But human beings are not a candle flame. They are antifragile. This doesnât mean that we should never protect people, but it does mean that the culture of safetyism is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of human nature and of the dynamics of trauma and recovery. It is vital that people who have survived violence become habituated to ordinary cues and reminders woven into the fabric of daily life. Avoiding triggers is a symptom of PTSD, not a treatment for it. Trigger warnings are counter-therapeutic because they encourage avoidance of reminders of trauma, and avoidance maintains PTSD. They should instead be dealing with it through treatments such as exposure therapy. Well-meaning people who work together to hide potential reminders of painful experiences, or who repeatedly warn the student about the possible reminders he or she might encounter, are only enabling them.
References
- Lukianoff, Greg. Haidt, Jonathan. (2019). The Coddling of the American Mind Chapter 1 The Untruth of Fragility What Doesnât Kill You Makes You Weaker (Epub p. 43). New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
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Type:đ´ Tags: Psychology Status:âď¸