Exceed the DARK. Step into Pitch Black
Tier 1
These are examples of trigger warnings found in the Pitch Black™ tier.
This is a WARNING to proceed with extreme caution.
•. Descriptive violence
•. Graphic torture
• Sexual assault
• Degradation
• Mental and physical abuse
• Brainwashing
• Mental manipulation
• Taboo topics
• Drug/alcohol use/abuse, drugging
• Direct main character involvement
Mental health matters, and the reader should always stop reading if the content provokes too much anxiety, fear, or evokes overwhelming emotion.Here are some psychological impacts that could be caused by the content. ONLY read if you’re comfortable with the above triggers.
• May trigger past traumas ( examples: physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, suicide attempts, addiction, etc.)
• May trigger emotional wellbeing or lead to desensitization
• May trigger moral and ethical standing
Tier 2
I find that a lot of my books end up falling into the Static White™ category. It’s more than Pitch Black™ but not quite Oblivion™. My stories aren’t just part of the A.A. Dark Universe. They’re healing. They’re therapeutic for me, and with that therapy comes the parts that are hard to work through. Not just for me but possibly for the reader. In this category we have an increase in the intensity of the trigger warnings.
• Includes everything in the Pitch Black™ tier with an increase in severity and volume—MAGNIFIED.
• Very in depth, descriptive scenes of violence
• Gore
• Graphic hard to read scenes of sexual assault
• Verbal and mental abuse
• Torture: emotional, physical
• Taboo, Forbidden, Offensive topics
• Drug/alcohol use/abuse, drugging
• Death of children
• Main Character immersion
I want to touch back down on the psychological impacts for those who may not be ready for this level of darkness. If the reader experiences heightened anxiety, fear, overwhelming emotion, or has trepidation or aversion to these triggers, it is advised to stop or not to read this tier.
• May trigger past traumas ( examples: physical abuse, sexual abuse, sexual assault, suicide attempts, addiction, etc.)
• May trigger emotional wellbeing or lead to desensitization
• May trigger moral and ethical standing
You are now in the VOID. Don’t forget to breathe.This tier is the darkest. It is best for those already experienced with the tier system, so that the reader can be prepared for the impacts or at least knows what to expect. Like with the previous tier, I’d like to mention that this tier is amplified. This tier is not going to just walk you along the edge of a cliff. This tier pushes you over the edge, laughs, and waves as you disappear from view into the bottomless void below. It is not advised for those coming in from different genres (Dark Romance, Horror, or Splatterpunk) who are not familiar with the 3 Tiers of Darkness™ rating system. It is not the same. It is on a different emotionally heavy level.
• Most all triggers from the previous tiers with even more intensity
• Potential death of a main character
• Potential death of a child
• Emotionally unbearable themes
• Disturbing real world topics
• Psychological collapse
• Think…darkest of the dark
Psychological impacts from reading an Oblivion™ rated book
• Deep emotional responses (grief, turmoil, profound sadness, despair, hopelessness)
• Deeply thought-provoking mental confrontations (You could question everything after one of these books.)
• Existential reflection
• Anxiety or panic attacks
• Depressive episodes (more than a reading slump)
• Triggering if you battle mental health.
• Desensitization
Tier 3
For those who are comfortable with reading DARK content, you may find healing within the darkness of these pages. Yes, a lot of bad things happen in these books, but we also get to see the main characters rise as they fight their way to the top. We get to experience the character arc you’ve been waiting for.
We watch the characters grow, learn, and survive against all odds, and that can be very cathartic for some who might have suffered similar pasts. Here’s a list of benefits.
• Ability to process and build stronger emotional fortitude
• Heightened awareness for mental health
• Ability to confront their darkest fears
• Gives readers a safe space to process their own emotions
• Validation for past/present trauma
• Empowerment
• Self-reflection
• Insight into the darker world of the human psych
• Inspiration to be creative and work through their own traumas