What are triggers and how do I know if I have one?

Let's say I have a memory of a friend passing away due to a car crash, If someone mentions something on the lines of that then that would "trigger" me. I could feel anxious and uncomfortable. Triggers depend on the person.

Triggers can be many things. Smells, words, people, textures any stimuli can be atrigger if it relates to the event or activity from the past. Triggers can make people feel as though they are back in traumatic situations. Triggers can also effect those with addiction. For example being in an area where one used to use can be triggering.

Triggers are usually a certain person, topic, etc. that gives you an off feeling and you don't feel okay around others to talk about it, or you know you'll get into a heated conversation out of it. You'll know when you have a triggered conversation or topic or even person.

A trigger a word, sound, image, or memory that resurfaces painful emotions that are overwhelming. It can be so overwhelming that a person becomes suicidal if not handled properly.

Triggers are sights, sounds, smells or even feelings that can bring back memories of trauma. After a trigger intense emotional and physical reactions, such as raised heart rate, sweating and muscle tension can take place. the best way of coping with triggers is to avoid them altogether. But if not possible there are healthy coping mechanisms you cam use such as Relaxation or social support.

Triggers are automatic responses to situations that have been traumatizing in your past. Trigger responses are often abrupt and are characterized by the sensation of something "just happening to you" that is out of your control. You might suddenly feel like a completely different person or like you have multiple sides to your person. An efficient way to handle triggers is to identify the source of the trigger, process the emotions involved in the source, map the situations in which the triggers appear and choose new ways of being in these particular situations. Give yourself time to heal.

I think a good indicator is that you feel a strong emotional reaction to what is going on at the moment. But equally - and may confusingly - I think the alternative is that you may feel numbness as if there is no feeling at all. I think this is because there is so much going on internally that there is no clear way to identify what to feel. It is probably this second scenario where mindfulness can help to disentangle what some of the more subtle feelings are. Personally, I find that if I am triggered I feel a strong sense of shame and a need to be away from people. And it is difficult for me to reflect on what exactly is going on until I settle down and reflect.

When you have a reaction that is out of proportion to the stimulus or happening, then you can guess you have a trigger in that area. A trigger is when a current event kind of sweeps through time and space and latches onto all the similar experiences or traumatic feelings that may surround that sensation, and create in the individual a powerful sensory and out of proportion reaction. One can modulate one's environment, or lighting, or food intake, or many other environmental factors, to minimize the power of triggers over your ability to live life the way you want to. Good luck and may the force be with you!

Hello! As someone diagnosed with PTSD, triggers are often words, topics, items, actions, noises, etc., that can bring about negative associations for someone with trauma. For example, if someone is a recovering alcoholic, being at a party where everyone is heavily drinking can be a trigger. For me personally, I have sexual trauma, so feeling as if I am restrained and have little bodily autonomy in a situation can be a trigger. If something specific brings about flashbacks, anxiety, panic attacks, negative feelings, etc., then you may have a trigger. It is helpful to identify these in order to learn about your trigger. Personally, I worked with a therapist who encouraged exposure therapy with trusted individuals. This did not completely eliminate the triggers, but it made them more manageable and helped me to avoid panic attacks. Identifying a trigger is generally the first step.

Triggers are things that make you feel or think of something you've experienced in the past, or are currently experiencing. You can tell if you have any triggers if someone brings something up in a conversation or read something, and it makes you think back and feel angry, sad, or regretful as you may have when you experienced said thing.