Content notice

Today I read an excellent article on the writers’ website Mythcreants. It was about the need for what they call Content Notices, known more commonly as Trigger Warnings. Apparently, and I didn’t know this, some people scoff at the idea of warning people at the beginning of a written work that there may be unpleasant or disturbing content in what they are about to read. (These would be the people who lack empathy, and who don’t understand the real danger that comes when a person is subjected to written material they weren’t ready for.)

Well, I don’t scoff at the idea. But until I read this article, it didn’t occur to me that my blog might need to be flagged with a content notice. A content notice allows a person to choose which written content they wish to allow into their minds, and maybe you don’t want some of my thoughts in your head. So let’s talk about this.

Initially, I began this blog as a way to experiment with different ideas for dealing with my mental illnesses. But lately, I’ve been finding that it’s more a way to tell myself my own story. And my story is difficult, to me. Much of what I have written here, it has hurt to write. But it has been necessary for me to write these things, to get them out into the light where I can see them. They are smaller, in the light. Weaker. More easy to review with reason, rather than emotion.

If you stick with me on my journey, you will read about physical and emotional pain. You will read about what it’s like to be on a locked psychiatric ward. You will read about self-harm and suicide attempts. You will learn things that you never knew about me, no matter how well you thought you knew me.

You will not read about sexual abuse; to my knowledge, I have never been sexually abused, and I count myself lucky for it. But you will read about attitudes about sex in its many forms.

You will not read about physical abuse, unless unrelenting tickling counts. I have been spanked, but never beaten, and again, I count myself lucky.

You will read about shame. You will read about body image and self-perception.

You will read about emotional abuse. It’s only in the last two or three years that I have come to understand that I have been emotionally abused, and it is this abuse that is holding me back in so many ways. I have been taught things that I must now unlearn. I choose to do it in this forum.

This journey is painful for me, and it may be for you, as well. If it is, I hope you will reach out to me, because we are stronger together. If you can’t read what I write, that’s okay. Above all, take care of yourself. It is important to me that you feel safe.

I would like to acknowledge Melanie Marttila for posting the link to the Mythcreants article.

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