Do You Acknowledge Pettiness as a Trauma Response?

Is Pettiness a Trauma Response? Let’s Talk About It.

Question—do you acknowledge pettiness as a trauma response?

I really want you to sit with that for a moment. Think about it. And then? Drop your thoughts in the comments because inquiring minds want to know.

Now, I can tell you that in My Black Feelings, we sat with this question, and the consensus? A strong yes—pettiness can absolutely be a trauma response.

Why? Because many of us were raised with some version of “children are meant to be seen and not heard.” We were taught that a child should know their place. And in that, we were not encouraged to express ourselves openly with words. Instead, we learned to communicate our wants, needs, and frustrations in other ways—through actions, through silence, through pettiness.

It might not be the healthiest form of communication, but it is communication.

So, what do you think? Is pettiness a trauma response? Have you ever noticed this in yourself or others?

Drop your thoughts in the comments—discourse, not disrespect.