Internet
trauma dump
What does trauma dump mean?
As a noun, the act or instance of doing that.
"Sorry for the trauma dump, I just needed to get it out."
Origin
Coined in online therapy-adjacent discourse in the late 2010s, popularized hard on TikTok around 2020-2021 as people debated emotional labor and 'consent' in venting.
Frequently asked questions
What does trauma dump mean on TikTok?
It means unloading heavy emotional baggage on someone without warning. On TikTok it's often used self-deprecatingly when someone overshares.
Is trauma dumping bad?
It's not inherently bad to vent, but 'trauma dumping' specifically implies doing it on someone unprepared or without consent.
What's the difference between venting and trauma dumping?
Venting is usually mutual and contained; trauma dumping is one-sided, intense, and often dropped on someone who didn't agree to it.
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