In therapy there is a lot of discussion about triggers. But what exactly are they, and what do we experience when we have one?

Triggers are stimuli that prompt specific thoughts, emotions, or behaviors in individuals. They can be anything from a word or phrase to a particular situation that evokes a strong response, often linked to past experiences or memories.

It’s where our brains instantly connect the situation at hand to our trauma. Trauma can significantly influence how we perceive and react to these triggers, often leading to heightened anxiety or distress.

For me, I start becoming hyper-aware of my surroundings. I become irritable and usually ruminate in my mind about the current situation that I find myself in, which leads me to shutting down. Often anxiety follows, and a tight feeling in my right calf and arm will occur. I find it difficult to focus on anything else, as my heart races and my thoughts spiral.

We can’t always anticipate or prevent triggers. Ultimately we have to manage our response to it ourselves because people won’t always know our triggers, and one’s triggers can be unique to their own experiences. Understanding this, it’s essential to develop coping strategies that work for us individually.

Learning what triggers me.

It took some time and working with my therapist to learn what things would set me off, and it turns out there was a list. Some of them include:

• Feeling misunderstood. Especially if I feel that I’ve explained myself really clearly. Or if someone doesn’t listen to me properly when I’m trying to talk about how I’m feeling.
• The feeling of being boxed in or controlled and dismissed.
• Certain smells that give me flashbacks to my abuser. Such as the colognes he wore.
• Lack of communication. If I don’t know what is going on I tend to shut down.

If any of these things were to happen, they would make me instantly feel dysregulated, and I would start to dissociate. I would find myself feeling outside of my body, and I was looking in at what was going on, struggling to reconnect with my thoughts and emotions. A lot of restlessness and the urge to fall back into old, unhelpful habits and mindsets. That I thought were protecting me. The overstimulation where I become too aware of my own body, so I completely shutdown and numb everything out.

It felt like going from 0 to 10, then a drop right down to -10. When I reached that -10 of numbness, all bets were off, and there would be no emotion or any way to reason with me. And that would last for hours or even days.

Managing my triggers

I have since learned ways to manage my triggers and better cope with the feelings if they arise. If I am in a public setting, I always carry a band around my wrist. If I began to feel any odd sensations, I would snap the band against my wrist. This simple action serves as a grounding technique, helping me refocus my thoughts and regain my composure.

Being outside and being near water also helps me self-regulate. I find it calming and peaceful. Use of breathing exercises, music, journaling, and the 54321 technique—naming 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste to ground yourself—are also all helpful tools for me.

These practices allow me to reconnect with my surroundings and bring a sense of clarity to my thoughts. I’ve even integrated some of these techniques into my daily routine, where it has allowed me to practice mindfulness and serve my well-being.

There are many other tools and techniques that can be used, but these are the ones I found worked for me.

Do we get over our triggers?

I believe with time, we can. Maybe not all, but most because there may be some triggers that are too ingrained into our trauma, but as we learn ways to cope and manage them they will begin to lesson and not have as great an impact on us that they once did. It involves self-reflection, seeking support from others, and developing healthier coping mechanisms.

The range of triggers is wide and personal to each of us who has suffered any kind of trauma and is living with cPTSD. And depending on how far into our healing journey we are, it will also have an effect on being able to get over or manage them. That’s why it’s crucial to work on understanding what sets you off and learning the right coping mechanisms that work.

Healing is a lifelong journey. We will have starts and stops, but through it all there are victories. These victories, no matter how small, serve as reminders of our journey and how far we have come. Embracing each step along the way allows us to grow and find strength in our struggles.