Are triggers warnings helpful?

There has been some debate as to whether trigger warnings are helphul or harmful.

• Advantages: Those who argue in favor of trigger warnings state that they give people a chance to prepare themselves for the trigger. Given that triggers tend to be more distressing if they come as a surprise, this could be viewed as helping those with PTSD and other mental health issues to feel safe.
• Disadvantages: At the same time, others argue that trigger warnings can reinforce avoidence behaviours and that avoiding triggers only serves to maintain the symptoms of PTSD in the long-term. Instead, emotions that arise from triggers should be appropriately dealt with in therapy, particularly if they interfere with daily life.