Why You Don’t Realize When You’re Triggered

Photo By: Advik Mehta on Unsplash

I’m noticing some intense themes of people feeling on edge, anxious, or defeated this week. Many of us are trying to hold everything together, balance some unmanageable responsibilities, and stay on our toes all at the same time. We know this is unsustainable, but we just can’t seem to take our foot off the gas. Everyone just seems a little... shook.

What’s happening? 

Often when we feel thoughts and emotions that overwhelm us or behave in ways that seem unlike us, it’s hard to recognize that we’ve been triggered. A trigger is anything that reminds us of trauma. It generally causes one or more of the following changes to take place:

Maladaptive cognitions – unhelpful thoughts occurring automatically that feel highly believable, e.g. “I’m worthless” or “I’m broken.”

Avoidance behavior – leaving a place, person, or object that triggers you, this can manifest through excessive sleeping patterns and/or dissociation.

Negative mood – fear, depression, terror, anxiety, rage, and many others

Knowing we’ve been triggered can be difficult because the scary thoughts that occur after a trigger can feel so real in the moment. Beliefs about powerlessness, worthlessness, a lack of safety, and a lack of belonging are very common. These thoughts and feelings can be so overwhelming that we lose our sense of self.

The negative thoughts can also be reinforced over time, if they continue to associate with recurring triggers. When this happens, the thoughts begin to feel like undeniable truth. The earlier this association process can be disrupted, the better. That’s why mental health treatment is so important if you have experienced a trauma. Triggers and the negative beliefs we associate with them are very sneaky and it often takes professional help for us to gain the skill of identifying when it’s happening.

Okay, but how do we deal with triggers in the moment?

Feeling triggered inherently takes us out of the present moment. Our brains often get stuck in a loop of negative thoughts and feelings associated with our trauma. So the main goal is to interrupt the loop with coping skills. You need enough time and energy directed toward something else in order to gain perspective on the situation. Some excellent ways to do this are through physical activity, breathing exercises, positive social interactions, laughter, affection, crying, and creative expression. For more examples and to find out why coping skills work, check out this blog.

And finally, when dealing with ongoing triggers, an important step is to seek out a therapist who can support you in improving your ability to manage the symptoms. You do not have to be diagnosed with PTSD to experience being triggered. This is a common misconception that stops people from getting necessary treatment. If you have an inkling that you might be triggered and you maybe, possibly, could have experienced a trauma, I highly recommend consulting with a professional. Currently, the two most effective treatment methods for trauma counseling are T-CBT (trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy) and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing). TherapyDen is one of many online directories that can help you find a therapist who specializes in one of these treatments.

This has been your reflection on the energy of the week. I am a licensed psychotherapist who likes science and spirituality. Tune in next week for new insights!

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