Psychology “buzzwords” aren’t new, social media just butchered them

What really irritates me is when people complain about psychology “buzzwords” and act like they’re some fake Gen Z inventions.

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They’re not.

These terms already existed. They were researched, defined, and used properly long before TikTok or Twitter got hold of them. Social media didn’t invent them. It misused them.

That’s it. That’s the actual problem.

Words like gaslighting, trauma, dissociation, and shared trauma aren’t new concepts. For example, I’ve seen people claim that “shared trauma wasn’t a thing in the 80s,” even though the term can be traced back to the 1940s. The history and research behind these ideas are very real.

What’s new is people stripping these terms of their meaning and using them incorrectly, often to manipulate others or shut down conversations. That’s what should bother you.

Dismissing the words themselves just because you’ve seen them abused online misses the point entirely. The issue isn’t psychology. It’s misinformation and misuse.

I’m a psychology student, and I genuinely can’t think of a single popular “buzzword” that’s completely made up. The words aren’t fake. The way people are using them is.

Be annoyed at that instead.

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