On Trigger Happiness - A Recommendation List

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Description

A collection of high quality stories that address triggering events or conditions and their aftermaths without glorifying or romanticizing them. Also included are stories that promote healthy, equal relationships.

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 Oth ; A rec List
Status : Accepting recommendations
On trigger happiness
a recommendation list
 : About this list

A collection of high quality stories that address triggering events or conditions and their aftermaths without glorifying or romanticizing them. Also included are stories that promote healthy, equal relationships.

: Most recent update
+ may 13: Symptoms
: Banner
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: Why do we run this list?

1. creative freedom: This is an issue that many people, not just on aff, have identified and struggled to combat. Let me make this clear: There is no problem with including sensitive topics in a story. I am not encouraging censorship or limitation of creative freedom. however, these topics need to be acknowledged for what they are: damaging, painful, and not romantic or y at all. They destroy people's lives; they are misunderstood and misrepresented in much of mainstream media's narrative; they are extremely complex, and people experience them differently all the time. there are certainly stories to be told about these topics, and that is exactly what I am trying to demonstrate through this recommendation list.

2. what we include: This recommendation list includes stories that my lovely co-author, imrapunzel, and I believe 1) address the topics in an appropriate manner and 2) are of high quality. Not all stories will revolve around triggering or sensitive topics; it is entirely possible to include a valid discussion of these topics without the plot of the story consisting solely of that discussion. This recommendation list also includes stories that exemplify healthy, equal-footing relationships.

3. Also: There has been a lot of negativity and fighting on aff surrounding this topic lately. Please note that this is not meant to contribute to that at all; this is merely a rec list pointing out good examples of writing and good examples of including sensitive topics in fanfiction in a thought-provoking, respectful manner. if anything, i hope this list is a positive presence.

: disclaimer

please read Yes, this is a recommendation list that spotlights stories with realistic and non-glamorized portrayals of sensitive and triggering topics, but it is in no way a substitute for professional advice on how to deal with said topics. We are not offering any advice nor are we professionals. If you or someone you know are experiencing some of the issues mentioned in this list, please contact a professional, hotline, or a credible organization that can help.

: Staff
TOFMq4o.pngNyamnyamnyam 
conspiracy theory enthusiast 
TOFMq4o.pngimrapunzel 
chanyeol's
arms
enthusiast

currently not looking for new staff 

: Got a rec for us?

— Title: what is its name?
— Author(s): who is it by?
— link: so we can find it.
— description: basic story description.
— why it fits the rec list: why should it be on this list?

Note: just because it is commented does not mean it will be recommended!

Comments

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wegotthatpower
#1
Hello. I have two fics to recommend.

Title: Crescendo
Authors: Emilieee
Link: https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1332828/crescendo-angst-romance-schoollife-sliceoflife-exo-baekhyun-baekhyunxoc-hurtandcomfort-universe
Description: The OC who has suffered through physical/ual abuse from her stepfather meets Baekhyun for an upcoming concert and basically, it resolves around her healing.
I recommend this one because it has pretty accurate portrayals of the healing process and the victim's mentality. I think the author actually wrote it because she was sick of things being romanticized.

Title: Attayear
Authors: Korekrypta
Link: https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1057344/attayear-action-angst-fantasy-romance-schoollife-scifi-baekhyun
Description: Time-travel fic where the OC, Park Jinsu, gets close to Baekhyun, who happens to be a rival of her family from a fued.
While this fic does not focus on the aspects necessarily, the author deals with portrayal OCD accurately. Also, the way she and the lead sort out their problems is a very healthy relationship.
wonhosxthighs
#2
This! This is wonderful and deserves way more attention! Thank you. ^^
heartlesssoul_88
#3
recommendation!:
Counting Broken Hymns by loviet
https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1103193/counting-broken-hymns-angst-drama-romance-wonho-monstax-wonhoandoc

it's not an exo fic but i think this fic portrays what an ideal relationship should be, and what (destructive) effects a toxic relationship has on someone. along with that, it also shows the process of getting out of that relationship and how the character moves on. this story is very touching and realistic, so i think it deserves to be on this recommendation list!
blueblaze
#4
Chapter 1: Here's my recommendation
https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/390366/you-re-a-monster-abuse-bigbang-gdragon-kwonjiyong-top-you-rated

It's not an exo fic but I don't think that should be a problem cause this story is really touching.
It deals with abuse, depression, healing. How she got crushed, how she struggled, how she fought back, how she healed. What deepens it even more is that it's real.
Please try to read this
Xiuchen4Ever
#5
Chapter 1: Hi! I'm excited to hear about this sort of thing. I agree that fiction is fiction and people can write whatever they choose to, but it's true that there is a lot of mis-information and glorification of unhealthy relationships out there. Since ideas in fic tend to propagate and piggyback off of each other, I'm all in favor of shining a spotlight on some more-accurate examples so that readers at least know when they're reading a less-accurate depiction.

I'm subscribed to a few stories that I think meet the criteria:

I'm Sorry To Be Only Human by Neveragain__ is my absolute favorite fic ever, not because of the triggers, I just really enjoy the author's character portrayals. However, the main plot thread is a previously-abused hybrid learning to deal with a world full of hated humans, and while it loses points for the rejection of professional mental help, it gains far more for the slow-and-steady nature of the character's healing process, especially the focus on building healthy relationships, learning to communicate, taking care of oneself, coping strategies, etc.
https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1272979/

Don't Tell Anyone by Kung-Fu-Girl has multiple characters with varying triggers, and I sometimes wonder if the author deliberately chose to include every trigger they could think of (thankfully spread over multiple characters). Triggers include self-harm, being molested by a teacher, being physically abused by a parent, and being ually abused by a partner, among others. Despite the trigger-smorgasbord, bad things are treated as bad, and the author depicts healthy relationships as well, specifically casting them in contrast. The triggers aren't dealt with perfectly (several characters are "stuck" in Bad Situations because of poor communication or in one character's case, an elaborately contrived reason), but on the whole, police are involved when appropriate, mental health professionals are consulted, and there are understanding and helpful adults.
https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1259180/

And to add some shameless self-promotion, my own story (Re)Discovering Jongdae revolves around recovery from ual abuse and PTSD, building healthy relationships, and taking ownership of one's own uality again. I know it's not perfect (I worry that my supporting cast is too perfectly supportive, and I know I tend to get sidetracked and bogged down by irrelevant details sometimes), but I specifically wrote it to subvert several of my personal pet peeves in fic, one of which is when traumatized characters magically get better because they meet the right partner and 'learn to trust again.' I wanted to show that it's a process, that someone can't just decide to stop having issues because they'd like to date someone, but that the process can be romantic and sweet even if it's sometimes hard and frustrating and doesn't go according to plan.
https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1316476/

Sorry for writing an entire essay in your comment section! I'm just really excited about your project and I hope it gets lots of attention and lots of other suggestions. It's partly selfish--I'm running out of fic to read myself, so I'd love a new list of recommendations that won't make me roll my eyes or grind my teeth!
Emilieee
#6
Chapter 1: https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1091980

I totally forgot about this until today, but this story addresses eating disorders/depression extremely, extremely accurate and the process of healing was great too. And ngl, I bawled at the end. It basically follows Chen through his struggles of anorexia and it's tagged Xiuchen but it's more of a bromance fic :)
SkyeButterfly
#7
THIS THIS THIS
Seriously though, I hope this gets more attention :-) and I would love to read more stories with accurate portrayals of sensitive topics.
baepsaeeinislyf
#8
The important kind of rec list <3