Feeling Triggered?
What’s a trigger?
It’s a sensation that hits deeper than the situation might appear on the surface. If you feel yourself reacting in a way that seems too big , you might be experiencing a trigger. You can logically know your reaction is too big, but triggers don’t happen in the logical brain, so if you feel helpless to control your response, that’s completely normal.
You might first feel a trigger in your body. Maybe your chest tightens or you feel sick to your stomach. You might notice tension in your jaw or shoulders.
A trigger happens when something from a past experience is brought to the surface. It’s a reminder of something you might not even remember happening, an implicit memory.
These memories can be triggered by a smell, a song, a word, a tone of voice, an action—anything that reminds you of something that is unhealed can be a trigger. You may not even know why you are reacting, but trust me, it’s not random, there is a reason.
Sometimes we become triggered by things we thought we already healed from, and that can be really frustrating. It can feel like regression, but it’s not. Our body is always working to protect us. When our capacity is bigger, trauma has more room to come to the surface, because we can handle it, and heal more deeply. If you keep coming back to the same issue you already processed, chances are you are healing and your capacity is expanding.
Triggers are inevitable, so what can you do?
First, know that this is normal. You’re not broken. You’re reacting exactly the way you’re supposed to. Your mind and body sense danger and are trying to keep you safe.
Notice. Pay attention to what you’re feeling in your body. Where do you feel it, what does it feel like? Put a name to it.
Get curious. Your body is communicating with you. Shame often tries to creep in and it’s distracting. When you recognize your responses as healthy and normal, you can get to the root of why your response is so big.
Sit with it. Part of getting curious is learning to sit with the discomfort of big feelings without trying to fix, blame or numb.
Learn coping techniques. Things like breathing, meditation, and embodiment exercises can help regulate the nervous system when you are triggered so you can feel better faster.
Have grace for yourself as you are healing. Your mind and body are always working for you to keep you safe. Pay attention to what you feel, you are receiving important messages that will help you get to the root of the issue.