Sabrina Carpenter has faced backlash from mental health charity PTSD UK over lyrics in her new song Nobody's Son, which they say trivialise post-traumatic stress disorder. The track, from her album Man's Best Friend, includes the line: 'That boy is corrupt, get PTSD on the daily.'
In an open letter to the singer and her label, PTSD UK described the lyric as 'medically inaccurate' and 'disappointing', warning that the casual use of such terms risks 'minimising the experiences of those living with PTSD or C-PTSD'. The charity also expressed concern that the line has gone viral on TikTok, where it has been used in memes and edits, reinforcing cultural misunderstandings of trauma.
'When serious mental health conditions are used inaccurately or casually, it reinforces misunderstanding and stigma,' the letter said. 'Artistic freedom is valuable — but with that influence comes responsibility to ensure that creative work does not perpetuate harmful stereotypes or misinformation about genuine medical conditions.'
Carpenter has not yet publicly responded to the criticism. The controversy highlights a broader trend in pop culture, where clinical terms such as 'triggered', 'trauma' and 'gaslighting' have become everyday shorthand, often stripped of their diagnostic meaning. While some argue this language can offer validation, critics warn it risks flattening serious mental health struggles into trendy idioms.
PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by very stressful, frightening or distressing events. Symptoms include reliving the trauma through nightmares and flashbacks, feelings of isolation, irritability, guilt, and sleep problems. It affects about one in three people who experience a traumatic event, and complex PTSD can develop from repeated trauma such as abuse or violence.
