Opinion: The repercussions of trigger warnings are not worth it

For students in college who are going into a professional field after their academic career, the use of trigger warnings given during their education is detrimental for themselves when they move on to their profession.

Trigger warnings are given by professors to students when class texts or images contain content related to racism, sexual violence, or other trauma-related experiences. 

According to a survey done by NPR in 2016, about half of professors in the U.S. use trigger warnings.

What the use of trigger warnings is potentially causing is the subtle repercussions while on the professional field.

Becoming unfocused and having unexpected stress are factors that an individual may have to deal with because of the lack of trigger warnings in the real world, ultimately determining that one can still not be prepared after college

A 2019 study published by Clinical Psychological Science says that trigger warnings have little effect on someones distress and also says that the format of the content makes no difference as well. 

What the study also explains is the long term impact of avoiding conflict and practicing avoidance can help maintain disorders such as PTSD.

According to Harvard Health, college students are already increasingly anxious. Widespread adoption of trigger warnings in syllabi may promote this trend, encouraging students to turn to avoidance, is potentially depriving them of opportunities to learn healthier ways to manage potential distress.

It is also putting an unnecessary hurdle in front of you that you’re going to have to deal with in the future, when it can be easily avoided.

Trigger warnings puts an unnecessary strain on professors on deciding when to give a trigger warning and what is defined as traumatic. Potentially being biased without noticing because of predisposed dispositions.

A op-ed by Harvard University’s psychology professor Richard McNally published in The New York Times, says that if you need a trigger warning, you need P.T.S.D treatment.

McNally’s two key points lost in the debate on whether to use trigger warnings or not, is trauma is common, P.T.S.D is rare.