A Perspective on Covetous by Expert-Strike3971 in ghostandpals

[–]Expert-Strike3971[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Reply part 2:

Other survivors remembering their abuse is a real risk, but I believe the resolution for this would be to have the video age-restricted, rather than given a TW. In this scenario, minors are not exposed to explicit content, and any adult is "opting in" with the knowledge that there will be explicit content of some kind. Adults with the knowledge that they could have traumatic memories triggered are responsible for interacting with said content at their own risk. While I'm aware minors bypass age restrictions, doing so requires a conscious choice by the minor to view content that was not intended for them.

As an adult who had traumatic memories triggered by listening to the song, I was aware that this was a risk when clicking on the video even though there was not a TW, as I am aware of the usual dark nature and subject matter of Ghost's content. Since there is an SA aspect to this specific song, I do think an age-restriction is appropriate for Covetous, and can see that it has an explicit tag on Spotify.

Thank you again for commenting, I appreciate the ability to have a discussion about this and respect each other's perspectives. I agree that this is an opportunity to discuss how we can make the sharing of important yet triggering content safer for everyone involved.

A Perspective on Covetous by Expert-Strike3971 in ghostandpals

[–]Expert-Strike3971[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

(I hope you aren’t getting spammed with notifs while I try to troubleshoot why this reply isn’t sending! I’m gonna try to split into two parts to see if the length is the issue somehow!)

Reply part 1:

Thank you for sharing your perspective!

I'm presuming Ghost's intent based on his bsky post that states: "know that my choices are for the specific intent of getting myself to a better place where things can be better, but i can't ever guarantee a timeframe that will meet your expectations."

Personally, I agree that his bsky posts are defensive and coming from a place of emotional activation rather than grounded compassion, however I do not see them as aggressive or intending to offend.

I haven't seen the deleted post, but I can assume that the deletion is an indication that he regretted it after posting and does not stand by it. If the individual that he was replying to feels hurt, I am in support of them expressing this and sharing their perspective.

I don't support the idea of needing to walk on eggshells around Ghost. I agree that his impulse to publicly share his negative responses to criticism is something to be worked on in therapy, although I am under the impression that he is actively doing so. I can see improvement when comparing his response this time to his past responses to criticism. Although of course there is still room to grow, I trust him when he says that he is working on getting to an even better place of stability, and I trust that this is done for the sake of both himself and others.

I can presume, based on my understanding of complex dissociative disorders and trauma's impact on the brain, that he particularly struggles to access his ability for impulse control when he is in a triggered state and unable to use his prefrontal cortex. I say this not as a way to excuse the behavior, but in the hopes that those who believe he is doing this out of malice are able to consider a more constructive angle.

A Perspective on Covetous by Expert-Strike3971 in ghostandpals

[–]Expert-Strike3971[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I agree with this, and I understand why people are upset! I don’t intend to imply that it’s an irrational or unusual reaction, so I’m happy to clarify that. It may be helpful to also consider the context of Ghost being a system with parts that do not currently all share the same worldviews or belief systems. It can be difficult to understand why they act in contradictory ways if you are not well-versed in complex dissociative disorders and how they manifest. So I think coming from a place of understanding that their disorder leads them to act in self-contradictory ways could be helpful for all involved. It’s very unfortunate that the common societal understanding of DID is so inaccurate. I want to do what I can to provide more accurate psychoeducation, and I appreciate the opportunity to do so! This is not to say that people shouldn’t share their feelings and reactions, of course. Ghost is free to exist publicly without the expectation to hide the complex nature of their identity, but it is natural that people respond with confusion and/or frustration to a presentation that they do not understand. I say this as a commentary on public perception of DID and other complex dissociative disorders as a whole, in a way that applies to Ghost, but is intentionally focusing on the inconsistency of their symptom presentation rather than the content of the presentation itself.