Yeah I hate the way people talk about this Actual exposure therapy relies on gradual, voluntary escalation of exposure If I just randomly expose you to the source of the phobia at full force I strengthen ithttps://twitter.com/AlexandraErin/status/1386080212753043459 …
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The way people think phobias develop is so condescending Most people who have phobias of, say, dogs, didn't get them from being spoiled sheltered children who never even saw a dog until adulthood but heard scary stories about them
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It's the exact opposite - it's a pattern established by *actually being attacked by angry dogs* often enough for you to become familiar with that fear
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Actual exposure therapy relies on anticipation and control "Okay so here's the button, it plays audio of a barking dog when you push it, here's the slider to turn the volume up or down, whenever you're ready" It RELIES ON THE CONCEPT OF A TRIGGER WARNING
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Giving you findings conscious awareness and control of your exposure to the trigger is how you gain resilience against it Doing the opposite - putting you in an environment where exposure is random, unpredictable and nonconsensual - *strengthens the trigger*
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Replying to @arthur_affect
There is a problem when people are unwilling to start with even the level zero exposure. When you suspect that the level fear (it translates to other discomforts too by the way) they are willing to take on is zero fear. Basically they don't want to experience any discomfort now.
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Replying to @szymon12463 @arthur_affect
Trigger warnings allow the people who are listening to make that judgement call for themselves. Refusing to use trigger warnings on the basis that *some* people might use them to avoid *all* discomfort would suggest a fundamental disregard for others' autonomy and agency.
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Replying to @eaton @arthur_affect
But that's not what I am postulating. All this time we are not talking about purposefully or negligently triggering someone hard, but about acknowledging that not doing anything about something that cripples you is not a good choice. This is ALL I said, and I am being burned.
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Replying to @szymon12463 @eaton
Nah, it's a great choice, it's part of the collective evolution of humanity based on comparative advantage (people should focus on their strengths and let their weaknesses be shored up by others)
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Yeah in theory someone who's never learned to swim because of their fear of sharks might, through bizarre circumstance, end up on a sinking ship where they will die unless they can do so But this is very unlikely - indeed, frankly, it's not going to happen
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And insisting someone shore up those parts of their personality and collect competencies in every section of their D&D character sheet "just in case", in order to be a "more complete human being", is in fact holding people back and keeping them from happiness
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