Trigger warnings for college students are well intentioned, but they not only do little to protect students, but they actually have the potential to exacerbate the trauma (“Do Trigger Warnings Help or Hurt Students?” The Wall Street Journal, Feb. 11). That’s because facing something distressing rather than avoiding it has been found to be highly effective in reducing anxiety.
Moreover, if college students are protected from disturbing material, what will happen when they graduate and enter the real world? They will be in for a terrible shock. So if preparing students for life is a goal, then we shortchange them by trigger warnings.
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