What Exactly Is A Trigger?

Today we will talk about triggers and why we can't control them.

What are triggers?

A trigger is something that is associated with a memory from an earlier event that was traumatic. So when we have a trigger, it's the subconscious brain, taking us backward in time and associating the current event with something that's happened in the past that was scary, difficult, or traumatic.

Why we cannot control them

Triggers are out of our control. They come from the autonomic nervous system, the limbic brain, and the fight or flight response. Once you're triggered, the only option is to become aware of when you're triggered and start using tools more effectively so that even when you're triggered, you can get back into self-regulation.

A trigger can be a sound, a smell, an event, or even a song. They can be many things that we don't anticipate because it is a physiological response. We may not cognitively know what's going on yet, but our body is starting to respond. Our heart might be racing, we might be sweating, we might feel agitated, but not understand why. One of the disconnects in the definition of a trigger is that many people use the term on social media as if it's under our control, not realizing it's actually very physiological.

How to become aware of triggers

We can learn when we are triggered by becoming familiar with our heightened sense of emotion, the physical changes in our body, when we become more agitated, or when we start to shut down. Unfortunately, people tend to use the phrase "I'm triggered" as an excuse, and that's a huge problem. Because if you have a trigger, it is your trigger alone. Nobody around you is responsible for managing your triggers except you.

For additional tips on mental health, trauma, and so much more, check out The Universe Is Your Therapist Podcast!

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