I’ve been hearing more and more from clients recently that current events, news and politics are triggering lots of emotions and memories. A few folks have shared things for the first time, and have been surprised that simply watching the news made memories come flooding back. Some are practiced at recognizing the impact of current and life events on their healing and mental health and are quick to bring it up to keep things in check.
We’ve all had difficult life experiences. Sometimes it’s a tough relationship, sometimes the loss of a job, and sometimes a significant traumatic event or events. If you’ve been through a traumatic experience in life, you can sometimes deal with the aftermath for a very long time. Even if you’ve been able to work through your emotions, many people are impacted by triggers. A trigger occurs when something emotionally links you to a previous time or experience. It can be difficult to cope when we’re surprised by an unexpected thought or memory, or when we can’t figure out what’s going on, but we know we don’t feel right.
It doesn’t matter how long ago the trauma or challenging experience occurred. It also doesn’t matter whether others feel your anxiety or mood is warranted. When you’re impacted or struggling with triggers, it can become difficult to get through your day-to-day life.
That’s why, even after a traumatic experience has passed, it’s important to learn how to cope effectively. Life will continue to happen. News organizations will continue to run disturbing and tragic stories. Recognizing your own emotional triggers will make it easier to understand what’s happening in your mind and body. Then, you can start addressing your thoughts mindfully, and finding ways to manage your emotions and reactions.
Identify Your Triggers
Identifying your emotional triggers is, without a doubt, the best way to learn how to cope. It’s easier for some people than others.
If you were involved previously in an abusive relationship, you might be triggered when your current relationship partner raises their voice. Current events that don’t even directly impact your life might be a trigger for you. You may see a story about a plane crash on television, and become triggered because you’re afraid of flying. And, when you hear survivors of sexual assault tell their stories, you might think about your own experiences of abuse or harassment, and experience understandable negative emotions.
While those are more obvious triggers, anxiety can be caused by more subtle ones, too. Some very common emotional triggers for people who deal with negativity and anxiety include:
- Someone judging or criticizing
- Feeling alone or helpless
- Rejection
- Someone being needy or clingy
- Someone acting too busy or dismissive
When you really take the time to identify your triggers, you’ve taken the first step toward learning how to cope with them.
How Can I Cope With Triggers?
Once you know what might trigger you, it’s important to be aware and present, so the bad memories and feelings of anxiety don’t take over.
One of the best things you can do is to seek out professional help. A support system is absolutely necessary for someone who has been involved in a traumatic experience, especially when they are finding that it keeps coming up for them. While friends and family are great supports and can provide comfort at home, they might have their own reactions to your experience that could interfere with their ability to provide support. The help and guidance of a therapist can really allow you to explore your experience and your triggers, and offer you coping skills practice to work through them.
While you shouldn’t ignore or avoid your triggers, another way to manage is to distract yourself and engage in self care. If something has you feeling anxious, turn your attention to something that feels good or is good for you! A great option? Get moving! Take a walk around the block, go for a jog, or hit the gym. Physical exercise will not only help you feel better, but it will take your mind off of whatever triggered you in the first place.
Don’t be afraid to soothe yourself. It isn’t natural for some of us and can take practice. Identifying what works for us when we’re struggling is like filling your toolbox with tools to use in many different situations. Again, a support system is ideal. But, for the moments when you’re feeling triggered and no one is around, or when you want to work on things on your own, there are many different techniques to help.
Deep breathing or meditation are forms of mindfulness that can help ground and calm you when you’re feeling overwhelmed. You can start by doing some deep breathing exercises, or even try meditation. Then, you can use some self talk to help direct your thoughts and emotions. We all have an inner dialogue and it’s possible to influence that inner voice to direct you in a more healthy way. Try asking yourself what is making you feel anxious and why. Be curious. Remind yourself that you’re safe, and the event is in the past. Often these simple steps will help you to feel more in control in that moment.
Getting Help and Setting Yourself Free
Focusing on healing from difficult experiences is hard work. Many of us struggle with knowing how to manage the intensity of emotions and our reactions. The good news? Learning how to heal and cope with triggers isn’t something you have to do on your own.
If you’re really struggling with an event from the past that keeps coming up, feel free to contact me. Together, we’ll work on how to identify your triggers. From there, we can practice skills to use on your own to get through them. Our challenges don’t define us. It’s time to find freedom from your emotional triggers!
