In last week’s blog post we focused on trauma and traumatic events which you can read HERE. This week, we’re talking about triggers, i.e. things that can cause you to relive or bring back memories of trauma or negativity.
So firstly, what are they?
Triggers are events or circumstances that can result in really uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms. For example, anxiety, panic attacks, despair, discouragement or negative self-talk. They can be anything that causes you to recall a traumatic experience or deep-rooted feelings and thoughts. It’s completely normal to respond to triggers, and everyone’s triggers are different from each other.
Triggers can cause our fight or flight mode to kick in, which is an instinctive and automatic reaction to what we perceive as danger. We can’t control our response, however, we can take a step back to understand why we respond negatively to a specific trigger. They can be either internal or external. Internal triggers include things like memories, feelings, pain, anxiety, anger, loneliness or feeling abandoned to name a few. On the other hand, external triggers come from our external environment. They can include things like a specific person, place, situation, a certain date or time of the day, a film, TV show, sight, sound, taste, or smell.
No one knows exactly how triggers are formed, and there is an argument that the brain stores memories from a traumatic event differently to regular, happy memories. Whilst we can’t necessarily control our reaction, we can learn to manage and cope with it, or remove ourselves from situations we know will trigger us. That’s why it’s so important to understand our triggers, our responses, and the impact they have.
That’s where our 8Wise ™️ model comes in. It focuses on understanding your traumas and helps you to manage them. If you can manage them, then you can manage your wellness and wellbeing effectively, which is essential for a happy and healthy mind.
Pre-order our book ‘8 Wise Ways To A Healthier Happier Mind’ HERE.