Understanding Triggers in Mental Health: What They Are and How to Begin to Manage Them

Mental health and our wellbeing is complex, influenced by many factors, both internal and external. One crucial element that significantly impacts mental health is triggers. What are triggers? Triggers are stimuli or events that evoke strong emotional responses, often linked to past traumatic experiences or ongoing stressors. In this blog post, we will explore what triggers are, their significance in mental health, and begin to explore strategies to manage them effectively.

What Are Triggers?

Someone once described triggers to me as emotional landmines, hidden beneath the surface, waiting to detonate intense feelings and memories. They can take many forms and vary from person to person. Some common types of triggers may include:

Sensory: Triggers can affect our senses, such as a smell, sounds, taste, or textures, which can cause powerful emotions. For example, someone might be triggered when smelling a certain perfume which could remind them of someone related to a past trauma.

Emotional: These can be linked to specific emotions or emotional states. For instance, feeling abandoned or rejected can be a trigger for someone who has experienced childhood abandonment.

Environmental: Certain situations, places or locations can trigger emotional responses such as anxiety or panic. Crowded spaces, for example, might be very overwhelming for someone with social anxiety.

Visual: Images, videos, or even specific colours can be triggers. For instance, war veterans may be triggered by images of combat scenes.

Understanding Triggers in Mental Health

Understanding triggers is important because they can have a huge impact on our mental health. When a trigger is activated, it can lead to a range of emotional and psychological responses, including:

EOverloaded Emotions: Triggers often lead to big emotions, such as anger, fear, sadness, or panic, which can be really confronting and overwhelming.

Flashbacks: For individuals who have experienced trauma, triggers can lead to vivid and distressing flashbacks of the traumatic event.

Avoidance: No one wants to feel uncomfortable emotional distress and a way an individual might prevent encountering triggers, individuals might go to great lengths to avoid certain situations or stimuli, which can limit their daily lives and activities.

Physical Symptoms: Triggers can also manifest as physical symptoms like increased heart rate, sweating, trembling, and muscle tension.

Managing Triggers in Mental Health

While triggers can be challenging and uncomfortable to to deal with, there are strategies to help managing them:

Self-Awareness: One of the first steps to managing your triggers is to identify them. You can try to keep a journal to record situations or stimuli that cause emotional distress.

Seek Professional Help: If you find that triggers significantly impact your daily life and well-being, consider consulting a mental health professional. Psychologists can provide coping strategies and support to help you.

Grounding Techniques: When triggered, grounding techniques can help you stay rooted in the present moment. Techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness meditation, or counting can be valuable tools.

Therapies such as Exposure: Under the guidance of a psychologist, slowly exposing yourself to triggers in a controlled and safe environment can help to desensitise you over time.

Create a Support System: Share your triggers with trusted friends or family members. They can offer emotional support and help create a safe space for you.

Develop Coping Strategies: Work with a psychologist to develop healthy coping strategies that work from you to manage triggers when they pop up.

Triggers can be challenging, confusing, overwhelming, but they can be manageable! Understanding what triggers are, recognising their impact, and implementing coping strategies that work for you can significantly improve your well-being. Remember, seeking help and support is a sign of strength, not weakness, and there are professionals and resources available to assist you on your journey to better mental health.