No, you didn’t “trauma-dump” with your therapist. Listening to your experiences and honest feelings about them is literally a part of their job to help you. This opinion-editorial is mostly going to discuss common psychology terms that are misused in casual conversation, which can be extremely harmful. Why is it harmful? Well, like with all misinformation, it causes misunderstandings about that topic. So therefore, this causes misunderstandings about how psychology and mental health works, in a time where scrutiny is still very much present. Also of course, fact-checking “Pop Psychology”.
“Gaslight”
Gaslighting is a form of mental manipulation and emotional abuse that is meant to have you question your own reality. The term itself comes from the 1944 film “Gaslight” in which a husband tries to convince his wife that she is going insane by dimming the gaslights at night, only to deny it in the morning. This makes the wife think she’s lost her mind, when she wasn’t. Modern examples include people downplaying or dismissing how you feel about something or that your perception of an event is wrong. Someone committing an action that you witnessed and denying that it ever happened is classic gaslighting. What it isn’t, however, is something to describe minor disputes. It is often misused to invalidate someone’s perspective, by simply accusing them of gaslighting, when they are only sharing their side of the story or argument.
“Triggered”
The term “triggered” is one of the most misused words, primarily due to internet culture amplifying it. The most common misuse of this word is to describe a strong, negative, and emotional reaction to something insignificant. It is also used in political debates to dismiss the opposing viewpoints of someone, like “a triggered liberal”. Being triggered is not someone overreacting to something strongly, and is not something that mildly annoys you. The real definition of “trigger” refers to an intense emotional distress of being suddenly faced with something that reminds you of a past traumatic event. You go into fight or flight mode, and you feel like you are reliving the traumatic experience. A classic example of this is someone being triggered by the sound of fireworks, because it reminds them of actual gunfire.
“She’s so Bipolar, I am a little OCD, He has a Touch of the Tism”
Statements that casually insert actual medical conditions are problematic. Not only are they usually used incorrectly, which can give people wrong assumptions about things, since when is having a neurological or mental condition an insult that we let slide? Why is it okay to say “everyone is a little autistic” when that is factually not true? Why is it okay to imply you have a condition you aren’t even diagnosed with, just because you wash your hands thoroughly or have to have your desk organized? While Bipolar disorder, OCD, and Autism Spectrum disorder are common examples of this, it can happen with many other conditions as well. It is important to not use actual medical diagnoses’ so casually, as it is harmful to people who actually deal with those disorders.
“Trauma”
“There is this phenomenon in language where words, over time, basically lose their original meaning. And I think, in some ways, that process is happening to the word ‘trauma.’ ‘Trauma’ is being used as something that persists over time—like there may be a particular experience that, years later, you haven’t resolved. But any negative childhood experience isn’t necessarily traumatic.” Says Dr. Kostadin Kushlev at Georgetown University. It has unfortunately become a buzzword that is used way too often and incorrectly, often used to describe anything distressing, shocking, surprising, or even slightly uncomfortable. However, trauma has a prolonged impact and can affect your sense of self-worth, safety, engagement in relationships, and ability to regulate your emotions.
“Narcissist”
That one selfish person you know likely isn’t a narcissist, and neither is the highly confident individual with high levels of self-esteem. To be a narcissist, you have a grandiose sense of self-importance and believe you are truly superior to others. You genuinely feel like others are insignificant, to the point you lack empathy for others, have a sense of entitlement, and have no issue with exploiting others. Narcissistic Personality Disorder is quite a rare diagnosis.
“Anti-social”
While introversion and being asocial are different, they are often labeled as “anti-social” in pop psychology. Anti-social behavior is not simply being more introverted or preferring to keep to themselves. Anti-social is defined in dictionaries as “contrary to the laws and customs of society, in a way that causes annoyance and disapproval of others”. People that are anti-social act hostile towards society, and can manifest as Anti-Social Personality Disorder. Your friend that prefers to stay home than go out on weekends is not anti-social.
“Depression”
While a common mental health condition, depression is often a term used interchangeably with sadness when they are two different things. Feeling melancholic and down for a couple days is not the same as being depressed. Depression is characterized as a persistent feeling of low self-esteem, self-loathing, struggling with day to day activities, lack of energy, loss of interest in doing anything, sadness, etc., for at least two weeks. Sadness is temporary, depression is a long-term mood disorder that requires treatment from a professional.
In conclusion, learning to use these words, and many others that weren’t mentioned, is highly encouraged. Before you use a psychological term, be sure to check if you are using the word correctly or accidentally using “Pop psychology”. Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC published by Psychology Today, once stated that “Your correct use of these terms can encourage others to do the same.” when she wrote about how to make sure you understand if you are using the word “trauma” correctly or not.