Movie Triggers

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When I was a kid, I used to be absolutely terrified of James and the Giant Peach.
So I tried searching for it. To my dismay, I forgot that there was a spider in the movie (a memory which I obviously repressed as defense mechanism), and seeing the poster in the results triggered my arachnaphobia. (:_(
THIS SITE IS NOT SAFE GUYS.
 
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Randall Fragg said:
I wonder if they'll branch out and do "TV Triggers" and "Video Game Triggers".
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If they did Video Game Triggers, I'm sure Postal 2 would be rife with them.
Postal 2 Triggers: extreme violence, homophobia, hatred of cats, hatred of dogs, racism (because you can kill anyone, including Muslim terrorist), police brutality, gun violence, blood, transphobia, rednecks, and a bunch of other things.
 
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Jonzun said:
Apologies in advance for this long essay, but as someone who once acted like a complete sperg and complained about being triggered on another site I wanted to give my thoughts on trigger warnings in general:

The thing about trigger warnings is that in the context of PTSD, in my opinion I've found they're actually counter-productive.

I'm not going to dwell too much on my personal experiences, but I have legit PTSD which got to the point where I was essentially agoraphobic because the most incidental of things would set me off (for example I'd avoid anywhere I could hear doors slam as they'd send me off into a panic attack). The thing about PTSD is that it causes irrational fears which in turn disables you from interacting in normal life. The only way of getting beyond that is to acknowledge that these fears are irrational and that you don't need to be hypersensitive to things you're not in control of or that no longer hurt you.

This to me is where the problem with trigger warnings arise. It doesn't actually help the person that needs it, instead it legitimises the irrational fear and stops the recovery process. A lot of PTSD comes from situations you can't control, which sometimes can lead you to an almost obsessive need to control everything around you to stop anxiety. This can be a big problem as it feeds into the guilt of not being able to control and stop the original traumatic experience(s).

Those who created trigger warnings may have had good intentions, but they end up becoming an unhealthy control mechanism that stops the person actually recovering from their fear. For example, if I was to say be in a situation with someone where a door would slam and I freaked out, I'd hope the other person would respond with something along the lines of "If this upsets you so much, maybe see a professional. You're not to blame for your reaction, but you don't need to be scared of it as people don't slam doors because they're evil or insensitive". Trigger warnings tend to do the opposite, it's as if the other person responds "That person who just slammed the door is an insensitive jerk whose hurting you the exact same way you were hurt in the past. Stop slamming doors, you're hurting these poor victims!". It doesn't help put negative experiences in the past, it reinforces this idea that people with PTSD are helpless victims who should try to control the world more than they physically can. Not only that but you end up obsessed with the very thing you're trying to avoid, which makes it completely self-defeating.

I'm definitely sympathetic to those who actually get upset about legitimately traumatic experiences (a lot of the triggers on the site seem to actually trivialise PTSD rather than recognise what it actually is) and I think it's a sensible idea to take their experiences into consideration when choosing what to watch / listen / talk about with them. However I also think it's important to remember with the correct help and support they can get to a stage where they can once again face subjects with which they previously associated great distress. I'm sure some (not all) people complaining about triggers are just trying to help, but it can be quite patronising to suggest anyone whose ever faced hardship needs to have their hand held at all times and can't face difficult situations by themselves.
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You are an excellent writer, and I certainly hope you have made progress with your recovery. Overcoming a legitimate fear/trauma is never easy and requires a special sort of bravery to reach into yourself, grab hold of that problem and ask for help to banish it from your life. It sounds like you have done this and I truly admire you for it. I know I am chimping-out all over this thread but it is exactly for the reasons you stated that I find this so ridiculous and enabling. You are a champ for facing your fears and kicking them the hell out of your life and you have my deepest respect.
 
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CWCissey said:
http://www.movietriggers.com/movies/2130
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Just remember, every time you go into the forest, or basically anywhere where nature is driving the bus, everything in there is trying to kill you ...
 
I'm considering adding triggers to children shows. Teletubbies is pretty disturbing, after all.
Also, I personally believe that certain actors should count as triggers.
 
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