Breaking the Cycle of Triggers

Do you find yourself going through your day feeling good, but in split seconds a feeling of sadness or rage consumes you without you being aware of it? Do you constantly find yourself distracted from what you were doing, to a point where nothing else matters but your pain?

This might be the experience of a trigger, especially if you have experienced a traumatic situation such as; an accident, a loss of someone, pandemic such as Covid-19, any forms of abuse and more. Sometimes triggers don’t give any warning signs, they just happen. It can happen anytime throughout the day, or throughout the year. In addition, the triggers you experience might make sense to you, but not to others around you.

Triggers can come in many different forms, such as; memory of physical location, internal processing (stress), a smell, sound, words, or sight that triggers feelings of trauma. However, the key to breaking the cycle of triggers is to identify the triggers and not avoid them.

According to Mentalhelp.net, “Triggers are external events or circumstances that may produce very uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, panic, discouragement, despair, or negative self-talk.”

One might ask how do you decrease these unwanted thoughts or feelings? It starts with you being Aware! Triggers can be normal, but if experienced over a long period of time, it can be concerning and may cause re-traumatization if symptoms have not been addressed. Symptoms of triggers might not go away, but you can learn strategies to cope with them.

“We are not a victim of our emotions or thoughts. We can understand our triggers and use them as tools to help us respond more objectively,” Elizabeth Thornton

According to Marcia Reynolds (2005), there are 5 Steps For Managing Your Emotional Triggers; 

1. Accept yourself as powerful instead of as victim

2. Recognize that you are having an emotional reaction as soon as it begins to appear in your body.

3. Don’t judge or fear your emotions.

4. Choose what you want to feel and what you want to do.

5. Actively shift your emotional state.

Listen to Your Body and know the signs of your triggers. Signs and symptoms of emotional & psychological trauma may include; Cognitive, Behavioural, Physical, and Psychological. To find out more details, call Creating Meaningful Counselling Services Today @647-560-9984

“When things are challenging, remember you are not the feelings and emotions. They are just a reaction to the situation, so accept them and try to find the root source and ease that pain - The core essence of you is a beautiful, unique, authentic spirit and you are worth of everything in life,” Nanette Mathews