There is a great book on post traumatic stress studies called a upside which talks about the fact that in most cases PTSD can actually bring the greatest amount of growth, but they also mentioned the conditions which makes that so. Point being is that trauma alone is not sufficient, but what you do with it throughout your life
I used to worry so much about unattended children when they were around me. It didn't matter what the circumstances were, but I resented parents who just sort of wandered off while I was staring at their child, making sure they didn't put a paperclip in an electrical socket or wander into traffic or whatever.
I understand why parents are like this MUCH better now.
It's weird how it ebbs and flows. Gen X ran around with almost zero oversight. Gen Z had helicopter parents. Raising littles right now our biggest fear isn't what trouble they'll get into but what trouble we'll get into when other parents don't agree with the freedom we allow them to learn.
Really enjoyed this. My wife is a psychologist. It's always amusing when she tells me someone was being too sensitive when describing a "traumatic" event. She's seen real trauma, and many don't hit the mark. Last week, a 20-something said their mental health was damaged when their boss told them to complete a task. This type of normal occurrence in a professional environment can even be seen as harmful. This is the society we live in.
The scope creep of trauma has contributed to the widespread victimhood of people in the West. Everyone feels oppressed by someone or something. Being resilient and healthy in mind and body feels like a state only achievable through therapy or drugs.
Those tools are necessary in some cases. But most would do well to calm down, breath, and get some perspective on their circumstances. The fastest way I know to heal from any form of trauma.
I'd contend that believing "This type of normal occurrence in a professional environment can even be seen as harmful." is actually what is harming these people. For all they talk about trauma, the real trauma is in their inability to deal with it.
It is the society we live in and a lot of people, like the dime-a-dozen therapists, make money off of that. (New book by Abigail Shrier titled Bad Therapy talks about this.) Even worse, the pharmacuticals who sell expensive drugs to the 'worried well. (Another great book titled Saving Normal talks about this)
Thank you! I have been saying many of these things for years... mostly met with stares of pity or disbelief or anger that I could be so nonchalant about challenges (whether those were my own or broader societal challenges).
This article makes some interesting points about antifragility and the dangers of pathologizing normal life struggles, but it oversimplifies trauma and mental health in a way that feels both dismissive and potentially harmful.
The idea that antifragility — the concept that some systems improve with stress — applies to human development is true to a point. Muscles grow stronger through resistance, and immune systems develop through controlled exposure. But the leap from that to minimizing or ridiculing people's experiences with trauma is where things start to unravel.
The biggest flaw is the casual dismissal of mental health issues as exaggerated or the result of "scope creep." While some overuse of the term trauma may exist in pop psychology circles, it's dangerous to suggest that genuine mental health struggles — especially those rooted in early childhood experiences — are just the product of a therapist’s manipulations. Therapy exists precisely because mental scars, even from seemingly minor events, can leave lasting effects.
There's also a glaring contradiction in the article's message. The author celebrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — which is about re-exposing people to their trauma in controlled doses — yet seems to overlook that this process requires safety, guidance, and structure. Trauma isn't some magical seasoning that automatically makes people stronger. Unprocessed trauma can just as easily break people down — mentally, emotionally, and physically.
The Battle of Britain example is interesting, but the author conveniently ignores the long-term PTSD experienced by many survivors. The temporary boost in resilience during the crisis didn't erase the psychological scars afterward. Humans can rally in the face of extreme stress, but that doesn't mean they come out unscathed.
And let's not forget the absurd jab at therapists shaking people down for money — a lazy stereotype that overlooks the fact that therapists are often the first line of defense against spiraling mental health crises. Dismissing therapists as grifters while promoting antifragility without nuance is like handing someone a bottle of whiskey and saying, "Good luck processing your trauma the Marcus Aurelius way."
The Universe 25 mouse experiment is fascinating but tricky to apply to humans. It’s not as simple as “too much comfort makes us weak.” Social structures, purpose, and connection play a huge role in our mental well-being — it’s not just about throwing people into the desert and hoping they develop survival instincts.
The real takeaway here should be about balance. Shielding people from all adversity can indeed make them less resilient, but romanticizing trauma as a kind of self-improvement workshop is reckless. The goal should be creating environments where people are challenged enough to grow — without tossing them into the fire and assuming they'll walk out stronger.
In short, antifragility is real — but so is genuine trauma. And no, your therapist isn't out to rob you blind just because they helped you connect the dots on childhood struggles.
There is a great book on post traumatic stress studies called a upside which talks about the fact that in most cases PTSD can actually bring the greatest amount of growth, but they also mentioned the conditions which makes that so. Point being is that trauma alone is not sufficient, but what you do with it throughout your life
Great point and great recommendation. I've added it to my list!
I used to worry so much about unattended children when they were around me. It didn't matter what the circumstances were, but I resented parents who just sort of wandered off while I was staring at their child, making sure they didn't put a paperclip in an electrical socket or wander into traffic or whatever.
I understand why parents are like this MUCH better now.
It's weird how it ebbs and flows. Gen X ran around with almost zero oversight. Gen Z had helicopter parents. Raising littles right now our biggest fear isn't what trouble they'll get into but what trouble we'll get into when other parents don't agree with the freedom we allow them to learn.
Really enjoyed this. My wife is a psychologist. It's always amusing when she tells me someone was being too sensitive when describing a "traumatic" event. She's seen real trauma, and many don't hit the mark. Last week, a 20-something said their mental health was damaged when their boss told them to complete a task. This type of normal occurrence in a professional environment can even be seen as harmful. This is the society we live in.
The scope creep of trauma has contributed to the widespread victimhood of people in the West. Everyone feels oppressed by someone or something. Being resilient and healthy in mind and body feels like a state only achievable through therapy or drugs.
Those tools are necessary in some cases. But most would do well to calm down, breath, and get some perspective on their circumstances. The fastest way I know to heal from any form of trauma.
I'd contend that believing "This type of normal occurrence in a professional environment can even be seen as harmful." is actually what is harming these people. For all they talk about trauma, the real trauma is in their inability to deal with it.
It is the society we live in and a lot of people, like the dime-a-dozen therapists, make money off of that. (New book by Abigail Shrier titled Bad Therapy talks about this.) Even worse, the pharmacuticals who sell expensive drugs to the 'worried well. (Another great book titled Saving Normal talks about this)
Such a great insight - and glad my figure describing antifragility was inspiring!
I've been pushing anti fragility for years now. Few people are willing to design that way
Thank you! I have been saying many of these things for years... mostly met with stares of pity or disbelief or anger that I could be so nonchalant about challenges (whether those were my own or broader societal challenges).
This article makes some interesting points about antifragility and the dangers of pathologizing normal life struggles, but it oversimplifies trauma and mental health in a way that feels both dismissive and potentially harmful.
The idea that antifragility — the concept that some systems improve with stress — applies to human development is true to a point. Muscles grow stronger through resistance, and immune systems develop through controlled exposure. But the leap from that to minimizing or ridiculing people's experiences with trauma is where things start to unravel.
The biggest flaw is the casual dismissal of mental health issues as exaggerated or the result of "scope creep." While some overuse of the term trauma may exist in pop psychology circles, it's dangerous to suggest that genuine mental health struggles — especially those rooted in early childhood experiences — are just the product of a therapist’s manipulations. Therapy exists precisely because mental scars, even from seemingly minor events, can leave lasting effects.
There's also a glaring contradiction in the article's message. The author celebrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — which is about re-exposing people to their trauma in controlled doses — yet seems to overlook that this process requires safety, guidance, and structure. Trauma isn't some magical seasoning that automatically makes people stronger. Unprocessed trauma can just as easily break people down — mentally, emotionally, and physically.
The Battle of Britain example is interesting, but the author conveniently ignores the long-term PTSD experienced by many survivors. The temporary boost in resilience during the crisis didn't erase the psychological scars afterward. Humans can rally in the face of extreme stress, but that doesn't mean they come out unscathed.
And let's not forget the absurd jab at therapists shaking people down for money — a lazy stereotype that overlooks the fact that therapists are often the first line of defense against spiraling mental health crises. Dismissing therapists as grifters while promoting antifragility without nuance is like handing someone a bottle of whiskey and saying, "Good luck processing your trauma the Marcus Aurelius way."
The Universe 25 mouse experiment is fascinating but tricky to apply to humans. It’s not as simple as “too much comfort makes us weak.” Social structures, purpose, and connection play a huge role in our mental well-being — it’s not just about throwing people into the desert and hoping they develop survival instincts.
The real takeaway here should be about balance. Shielding people from all adversity can indeed make them less resilient, but romanticizing trauma as a kind of self-improvement workshop is reckless. The goal should be creating environments where people are challenged enough to grow — without tossing them into the fire and assuming they'll walk out stronger.
In short, antifragility is real — but so is genuine trauma. And no, your therapist isn't out to rob you blind just because they helped you connect the dots on childhood struggles.
Great points. I believe the real takeaway is balance. This essay just attempts to pull back from the extreme toward something more balanced.
As far as therapy, I'll just recommend Abigail Shrier's book Bad Therapy. It's very illuminating. https://amzn.to/3FwEXml
My cognitive dissonance brain/soul speaking here, great chart btw. So this is why God allows bad things to happen to good or innocent beings?
I've heard a lot of explainations for that paradox but there's a lot of truth in what you just said.