Irrelevant

What is a word you feel that too many people use?

I am going to get so much heat for saying this. However, I think it needs to be said.

“Trauma” is what people who dont like themselves call memories.

“Trauma” is evolving to mean “unintegrated negative experience” which applies to any variety of unpleasant experience, whether it is surmountable or not.

I do believe that trauma exists, however, I believe that using the word trauma for every uncomfortable grating mote of dust against our souls is minimizing to the word and should be done away with, post haste.

Using trauma to describe every negative formative memory belies a lack of growth mindset and reveals an unwillingness to integrate.

I understand, though, that this is the vocabulary we are given to talk about the situations at hand, and as such, it can be a very useful tool.

I also understand that some use their perceived trauma as a crutch to not push themselves, to stay safe inside their comfort zone, and to coerce others into accommodation.

The definition of trauma, per our friend Webster’s English dictionary, is:

a: an injury (such as a wound) to living tissue caused by an extrinsic agent
b: a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury
c: an emotional upset

The definition has been expanded to mean an emotional upset. Seems a little dramatic to me. But whatevs, I’m an insensitive jerk. 😌

With love,

JJC