How to start managing your emotional triggers

A wide range of emotions are experienced throughout our day to day lives - joy, excitement, unease, frustration, happiness, confusion. In most cases these emotions can be linked to specific instances. Maybe you got a promotion at work or your friend surprised you for your birthday. You may have missed your alarm for school or had to have a difficult conversation with your boss. Whatever the instance, these events elicit a response from you and your reaction will vary depending on the circumstances and your frame of mind. These instances may be a normal, everyday occurrence or minor inconvenience for some, but for others these events may lead to an emotional trigger. 

What are emotional triggers? 

Regardless of your current mood, an emotional trigger is anything - experiences, memories, or events - that provoke an intense emotional reaction; most often a reaction that is undesirable or has worsened symptoms that are already present. 

At some point in your life you may have experienced a situation that has left you feeling “triggered”. It is important to remember that regardless if you do or do not have a history of trauma, you can still experience this when something elicits a strong emotional reaction. This experience, the intensity, and the trigger itself will look entirely different for everyone. 

Are there different types of triggers? 

To reiterate, triggers are individualized experiences that vary widely from person-to-person, so these types of stressors may or may not resonate with you and that’s okay! 

Internal Stressors. For some, an emotional trigger may stem from an internal event; an emotion or feeling from within yourself. A key step in learning to recognize this type of trigger involves paying attention to the situations that generate a strong emotional response. For example you may experience a surge of emotions and also experience physical symptoms such as - 

• Sweaty palms

• Upset stomach

• Increased heart rate

• Dizziness

External Stressors. This emotional trigger is a product of your environment; a person, place, or a specific situation. The items below are types of external stressors that may lead to a trigger  - 

• A specific time of day 

• A movie or television show 

• Certain sounds or smells 

• Significant dates or holidays

How can I manage my emotional triggers? 
Whether big or small an emotional trigger can be difficult to navigate through. Here are a few tips that may help you cope with and manage your triggers. Because emotional triggers are unique experiences that will look and feel different for everyone, use trial and error when figuring out what works best for you.

Take a moment.  Using mindfulness techniques can be useful to reign yourself back into the present moment. Prioritizing your mental well being can help you build resiliency against potential triggers. You might use breathing techniques, yoga, meditation, the outdoors; the options are endless! 

Identify. It may be helpful to consider your reactions to past triggers. Identifying who, what, where, when and why it took place can help you mitigate an emotional trigger from happening. You can also try to observe repeating patterns and signs of obvious risk to help prevent a similar situation from happening. 

Communicate. In some cases, someone else’s action can trigger your emotions. You can try to open up. If necessary, take a moment to find your calm, then use I- statements to address the situation. 

“ I feel frustrated when ____ “  

“ I felt really bad when ____ “ 

“ I would appreciate if we could _____ “ 

Talk to a professional. There may come a time when regulating your emotions on your own just isn’t feasible. It can be an extremely difficult skill to master and identifying triggers doesn’t have to happen alone. Seeking help can be empowering as it will give you the opportunity to learn about and manage your triggers. 

growgood psychology has a team of therapists that can provide you with a supportive environment as we help you navigate through your emotional triggers. 

Combating these triggers can feel overwhelming and quite scary at times. When met with the right support, the journey to understanding your triggers and finding healthy coping mechanisms for them will feel much more attainable. Our team of therapists are ready to guide and support you through it all. Connect with us today to get started!