We encounter trauma triggers after we have experienced an event that changes us and leaves an imprint on our minds. These triggers take us back to that moment in time and trigger negative emotions.
Trauma causes negative feelings and harms our lives. And yes, we can heal from all types of past experiences, with the right support and practices.
But often there is an imprint lingering in the back of our minds, buried in our memories. This imprint is a trigger for trauma, which is activated by a reference or reminder of devastating things that have happened to us.
A trauma trigger is a psychological stimulus that causes immediate recollection of a past traumatic experience.
Signs of trauma triggers
Are you experiencing trauma triggers? Well, there are ways to find out if you have already encountered it throughout your daily life.
You may not have experienced any triggers, or perhaps you never understood what they were. In either case, some indicators can reveal the truth.
- Feelings of anxiety
Anxiety is a difficult thing to define. By that, I mean there are many different types of anxiety. There are severe forms of anxiety as well, which are considered anxiety disorders.
But with traumatic triggers, feelings of anxiety can appear out of nowhere. If you’re not normally an anxious person and suddenly start feeling stressed and upset, it could be a sign of trauma.
Something immediately creates an uncomfortable environment.
- Muscle tension or pain
If you don’t normally feel muscle pain or tension, a sudden experience with this problem can be disconcerting. Negative emotions can sometimes manifest in physical form when there is a trigger nearby. It could be a smell, a sound, or a memory you forgot.
The problem is that your subconscious mind remembers things from your past and your physical body can pick up on those little signals before you even think about them. Pay attention to how you feel physically.
- Memories
You started out of nowhere by thinking about a domestic violence situation from your past. So, where did this memory come from, and why did it appear?
Well, it is only through physical indicators and feelings of anxiety that memories can randomly resurface when you encounter a trigger. Maybe it’s an old letter from your ex, or maybe a photo.
Regardless, you’ve probably experienced something from your past that triggered a memory. These negative thoughts can creep in and invade your senses before you know what has hit you.
- Disintegration
Do you suddenly feel disconnected from reality? Do you feel disconnected from your identity or your surroundings? I know that this is probably not easy for everyone to understand, especially if you have never experienced this sensation before.
But disintegration can occur when a trauma trigger rears its ugly head. We learn to distance ourselves from our lives when a trigger occurs.
If you feel like you’re not in a normal place — foggy mind, forgetful, numb — you may be experiencing some sort of trauma, and you’ve stepped out for a moment to protect yourself.
- Colère soudaine
L’irritation et la colère surviennent lorsque des déclencheurs se produisent.
Je peux attester par expérience personnelle que l’odeur du whisky me rappelle de terribles souvenirs. Lorsque j’étais dans une relation abusive, les bagarres avaient souvent lieu après que mon ex s’adonnait au whisky. Maintenant, quand je respire cette odeur, je me sens en colère et irritable.
Ce choc me fait errer dans la maison jusqu’à ce que je trouve la source de l’odeur. La plupart du temps, il s’agit d’un fruit pourri qui sent étrangement l’alcool.
- Dépression
Si vous n’êtes pas sujet à la dépression, un manque soudain de motivation, une tristesse extrême, un désespoir et un épuisement peuvent être une source d’inquiétude. Les signes de dépression provoqués par un signal négatif peuvent arriver à n’importe qui.
Non seulement les déclencheurs peuvent créer un environnement anxieux, mais ils peuvent également créer un environnement sombre. Lorsque ces pensées négatives vous envahissent, des sentiments sombres du passé peuvent refaire surface et planer sur vous comme un nuage sombre. Faites attention à ces changements soudains d’humeur.
- Flashbacks
L’un des signes les plus terribles d’un déclencheur est un flash-back. C’est différent des souvenirs, où vous avez l’impression de remonter le temps et de vivre à nouveau le traumatisme.
Les flashbacks peuvent être graves ou légers, selon la force du déclencheur et selon ce que vous ressentez réellement.
Pay attention to the power of the images in your head. Are they memories? Or is your mind trying to take you back to that moment in time? One is much worse than the other.
How can we deal with the causes of trauma?
It’s hard enough to recover from a traumatic event, but dealing with the triggers of that event feels like going through the agony all over again. So, to deal with triggers, you must formulate an action plan before they happen. Here are some steps.
- Find out what turns you on
This may take some time, but learn all the little signs and triggers that cause disruptions in your life. Here are some examples of trauma triggers.
- Places
- the people
- Things
- Smells
- Voices
- Skin sensations
- Suggestions/words
There could be one or more of these triggers, but you haven’t identified them yet. Pay close attention to what’s bothering you and keep this information in your journal. Over time, you will see patterns and be able to identify the cause of the trauma.
- During trigger response
Sometimes the triggers are subtle, and you don’t notice them until you respond. If you don’t have a healthy response to the trigger, it can last longer and affect you in several negative ways, most notably halting the healing process.
If you’re really upset, use these steps to calm yourself down.
Try to refocus on the present
Remind yourself that your answer is common, and you will succeed at it
Do breathing exercises. Take long, slow breaths to regulate your heart rate.
- Help with flashbacks
If you have flashbacks, there is a system to help you. Follow these steps to stop negative images and triggers, returning you to a safe and comfortable mindset. In fact, say these things out loud for stability.
“I know I’m not in shock right now.”
(Check time and date) “It’s 10am on July 5, 2022”, and “It’s not November 8, 1998”
“I feel like my body is shaking, sweating, and cold.”
“At this moment, I am afraid, sad, anxious.”
“I only have a memory of a bad person, place or event.”
(Notice 5 things around you) “I see a chair, a table, a cat, a stereo, a bookshelf.”
“I am at home” and “I am not at my parents’ house.”
These steps will be different for everyone, but the basic idea is clear. You need to understand as quickly as possible that you are in the present and are not being abused at the moment.
