Beyond The Buzzword 

We say it all the time these days, whether seriously or in jest. “That triggers me.” What we typically mean is, “That thing you said, or that thing I read, or that thing we watched is making me feel something.” However, it holds a deeper significance for individuals who have experienced severe trauma. For these survivors, being triggered can cause a cascade of physical and emotional responses that take them back to the traumatic event. The result is typically more than just a jolt of remembrance or even a dark mood. Being triggered can throw a Trauma survivor into a tailspin of insecurity and fear, causing forgotten moments to rise again to the surface and prompting harmful coping mechanisms. Because reliving Trauma without care and intention can jeopardize the survivor's physical wellbeing, it’s important to identify and handle triggers with sensitivity and care.

What is a Trigger?

Triggers are like bookmarks that have held a place in your memory of Trauma. Your mind is using them to help you avoid further trauma. But, when you’re safe, the trigger is merely stirring up unneeded alarms that spark your fight or flight skills.

Knowing what triggers do is the key to identifying what your triggers are – typically they are something associated with the moment of your original trauma. If you’re not sure what your tiggers are think of things that cause you to feel panic, threatened, or overwhelming fear or anxiety. Sure, it may be something someone says or a violent scene in a show or movie, but it could also be as simple and unexpected as a smell or a taste or song that comes on the radio. Triggers are like bookmarks that have held a place in your memory of Trauma. Your mind is using them to help you avoid further trauma. But, when you’re safe, the trigger is merely stirring up unneeded alarms that spark your fight or flight skills. Identifying these triggers can help you calm yourself when they occur, instead of relying on them to tell you you’re under immediate threat.

The nature of triggers is varied, but here are a few examples to prompt you as you identify your own:

• Sounds: sirens, fireworks, loud music, or the sound of crying 

• Smells: perfumes, alcohol, fire/smoke

• Sights: first responders, a certain neighborhood, a particular piece of clothing

• Emotions: feeling abandoned, crying, being ignored

The list can go on and on and you may find your triggers are as unique as you are. Taking note of what they are is the first step towards healing from them. 

How to Cope

It’s not easy to override what your mind and body are telling you about a situation. Even when you cognitively know you’re not in danger, it can be difficult to see past all the internal alarm bells going off inside your brain and body. At first, trying to calm yourself while experiencing a trigger can feel like the most unnatural thing in the world. We so often rely on our instincts to tell us about the nature of our surroundings, relationships, and situations. But triggers can be like scratches on a record…keeping us from progressing forward and trapping us in the same mental capacity as we were during our experienced Trauma. It is possible to move forward. Healing is always possible. But the help of a therapist may be necessary as you approach your triggers with tenderness and intention. Approaching them will take time and patience, but the resulting empowerment will be worth every bit of work. 

If you find yourself triggered often and can’t seem to get past those “record scratches” get in touch with us. We’d love to help get you back to thriving!

Verified Reliable Sources for the Content in This Article: “How to Identify and Overcome Trauma Triggers” by Stephanie A. Wright, RN, BSN and Matthew Boland, PhD

Put It Into Practice

Feeling triggered but not sure why? Asking yourself a few simple questions will help you identify what got you here.

____

When you felt triggered:

• What did you see?

• What did you smell?

• What did you hear?

• What did you taste?

• What does it feel like in your body when you’re triggered?

Don’t rely on your memory with these answers. Write them down and take them to your therapy appointment. Jot down as much detail as you can about the experience you had, using all five of your senses to recall the trigger. This will not only be helpful in your future healing, it will distract your mind with concrete observations about your surroundings, reminding you of what is presently real.

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