Oct 3, 2021 in Counseling
What are triggers?
Emotional triggers and what they are. We often say our "buttons are pushed" when in reality, we are just triggered..........
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What, exactly, are triggers? Triggers are those moments and circumstances in our lives that cause us to experience an emotional response that is not in line with the event that caused it. Another term for experiencing a trigger is feeling that response of, “You pushed my button!”
A trigger event causes an emotional flashback, where we feel very strong emotions, often uncontrollable.
Most of us assume that the trigger was caused by the perpetrator (the person who did whatever occurred that caused our negative feelings). The truth is, each one of us has triggers that originate within ourselves. Other people are not responsible for our trigger responses.
Do not blame the other person for triggering you. Instead, look at yourself for answers. Do some self-reflection. Ask yourself some questions:
- How do I feel?
- How old do I feel?
- Does this feeling match what just happened?
- When have I felt this way before?
Talk to yourself. Help yourself out. Dont look to blame or attack the other person. Instead, help calm yourself down. Implement some healing mantras; such as:
This, too, shall pass.
Everything will be okay.
Find a mantra that will help you feel soothed and emotionally safe.
Many people assume that the trigger originated in the other person, that somehow its the other persons fault that you got triggered. This is simply not true. The trigger response only belongs to you. It resides within you and has something to do with an emotional injury from your past.
The way to eliminate trigger responses altogether is to work on healing the underlying emotional injury within yourself.
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