Thinking Carefully About Trigger Warnings
Trigger warnings are prevalent in suicide prevention. Common examples you might hear or see before a presentation or a conference include:
- Content notice: This resource includes statistics and data about suicide rates.
- Please note: The following section contains personal stories from suicide loss survivors.
These messages are intended to advise readers or viewers that they may encounter sensitive material, allowing them to decide whether to engage with the content.
However, a 2022 review article examining the use of trigger warnings in higher education found they can inadvertently fuel anxiety and reinforce trauma as being more central to a person’s identity (Bryce et al., 2022). This heightened unease could overshadow the intended benefit of the content, leaving the person unable to engage meaningfully.
But when worded thoughtfully, messages about sensitive content can be supportive and empowering. Here are three principles we should keep in mind:
- Empower rather than warn. Focus on agency, choice, and capacity to engage and cope.
- Normalise and validate. Frame emotional responses as natural shared experiences rather than reactions to be avoided.
- Provide concrete guidance. Offer specific, actionable steps that can be taken, including connecting with available crisis lines.
For example:
“We recognise that talking about suicide can evoke strong emotions. If you feel overwhelmed, we encourage you to reach out to someone - a friend, family member, or professional - whom you trust. X crisis line is also available 24/7 should you need to talk.”
Or
“When discussing sensitive topics like suicide, it’s important to acknowledge the emotional responses that can occur. If needed, we invite you to practice self-care and connect with someone supportive, like family/friends, professionals, or X crisis line.”
Bottom Line: With trigger warnings, what you do matters, but how you do it matters more.