Knowing and managing your emotional triggers is an essential part of growing and learning from past traumas. Triggers are a normal part of life. It could be fear, sadness, or loneliness that arise in a variety of ways on different occasions.

If you know your triggers, there are ways that you can avoid them, but if you learn to manage them, life can be easier to navigate and more enjoyable.  

Knowing your triggers can be difficult, but implementing tips like “retracing your steps” will help you determine what is triggering you. Also, knowing your emotional triggers will help you manage them and figure out what works best for you in each occurrence.

We want to help you learn to identify your triggers and explain why it is important to know them and how to be in control when they appear. Below we have some tips for identifying what could trigger some people as well as how to manage them. 

What is an emotional trigger?

An emotional trigger, also known as a psychological trigger, is an emotional response such as sadness, anger, or fear to past traumas and can be onset by a person or place. Every person will react differently to their triggers, even if triggers stem from the same scenario. There are three main emotional triggers explained below. 

Anxiety triggers

These triggers are primarily rooted in worry or stress and can be onset by external or internal factors. An example could be having a fear of public speaking and needing to do a presentation for school or work.

Nervousness will arise along with symptoms such as shaking, sweating, and increased heart rate. Anxiety triggers are also closely related to anxiety disorders. Many experts deem anxiety as a “fear of the future” due to the projection of past painful experiences or lack of self-esteem and confidence.

Also check out our Hangxiety Post for more tips!

Anger triggers

Anger is an emotional trigger that puts a person in a position where they experience a feeling of instability or lack of control and is usually expressed through hostility or frustration. Anger triggers are noticeable when you can see someone’s body get tense or if they begin shallow breathing. 

Anger triggers are the most important to identify and find because most times, people will lash out and be aggressive, as well as use alcohol or other drugs to cope.

All of these coping mechanisms will become dangerous, not only to the individual experiencing them, but also to the people nearby.

Trauma triggers

Most associated with PTSD or survivors of abuse, trauma triggers can appear when something from the past gives someone an unsettling feeling or uncomfortable feeling. These triggers are a little harder to avoid, as they may come in real form and dream form. 

People with trauma triggers usually consciously or unconsciously avoid situations that would cause these triggers to surface, such as small spaces, crowded areas, or loud noises.

Avoiding these triggers may help short term, but will not help long term. Some of the signs that come along with these triggers are shaking, hyperventilating, and vomiting. 

As you can see many different triggers may set someone off and one trigger may fall into a couple of categories. Let’s explain why it is essential to know what your triggers are so they can be dealt with and not avoided. 

Why it’s important to be aware of your triggers

Knowing your triggers will help with prevention control and allow you to be in control of the situation when it does arise. Without being able to identify triggers, relationships, jobs, and even yourself can suffer. 

Not knowing what may set you off could lead to drinking and anger triggers, or could put you in an environment that may set off an anxiety trigger, which could keep you hidden at home and jeopardize your job. 

Being aware of your triggers will help you avoid certain situations or environments, but also allow yourself to be in control when put in those situations or environments. This could help avoid any repercussions that could arise from any of the emotional triggers. 

Identifying your emotional triggers

Be mindful of what someone or even a place did or said to you and write them down to figure out the best response. Ask yourself what that person or place did to your feeling to make you feel overwhelmed, angry, or sad.

There’s always a story/truth that will surface when you note how you are feeling in that moment and do not suppress it, allow it to unfold. 

Tips on managing your triggers 

Every person’s reaction and triggers are different, but there are a few things that you can try to help diffuse the situation. Below we have noted some tips that may be helpful.

Tip 1 - Changing the narrative

In your head, you may be coming up with a story about how a person is doing something on purpose to trigger you. 

Instead of saying that they are, for example, taking too long in the store when you know you need to be somewhere, instead of thinking they are doing that intentionally, come up with a different narrative. Such as, maybe they are trying to get me something I like but can’t find, or maybe they bumped into someone and got caught up talking. 

Taking yourself out of the situation will allow you to defuse that trigger and realize that it may have nothing to do with you and allow yourself to not take the situation personally.  

Tip 2 - Journaling 

This allows you to write about things you may not be comfortable talking about out loud. It also helps by allowing your mind to wander and come up with scenarios you may have never thought about. 

Journaling also allows you to go back and see how things have changed and how you reacted to situations versus how you react now. It does the same for triggers; seeing a repetitive situation will allow you to pinpoint the trigger. 

Tip 3 - Take time for yourself

This is important, taking time for yourself will let you understand what is going on in your head without outside pressure. Give yourself time to heal and take care of you. Once you have calmed down and taken some breaths, you will be able to take on the trigger with a clear head and full control.

Take at least 90 seconds to yourself to “cool out” and move your body. Think “how do I want this outcome to turn out? How do I need to respond in order to bring about that outcome?

I’m in complete control of my reaction and response!” On a daily basis, devote blocks to structure in “you time” where you can walk outside or do a quick relaxation audio in your car. Whatever YOU need!

Final Thoughts

There are many different triggers that could happen to anyone, but knowing and managing your emotional triggers is important. Avoiding them will only help you short term, but using some of our tips to react correctly should allow you to take a step in the right direction to a less triggering life.