Being “triggered” has become a commonly used expression in everyday life, in mental health settings, and even in pop culture. Yet understanding what it feels like can be much more complicated than expected.

Films and television series’ often depict the most extreme versions of a person being triggered for dramatic effect. For example, in the opening scene of one TV series, an everyday mother stabs a seemingly perfect stranger to death on a beach when she hears a particular song.

Thankfully, real-life reactions are unlikely to be as outwardly devastating, but this does act as a good reminder that some triggers come from deeply subliminal things, such as sounds, smells, colours – essentially anything that can live in the sensory or environmental world. Because the potential trigger points are so wide and varied, they can be incredibly difficult for us to understand.

Conversely, triggers can occur from something as simple as an innocuous comment that stirs something within us. People are complicated, as are our backgrounds, and the best advice is if you find yourself stuck in a loop of reliving and analysing thoughts and memories that you can’t get past, keep yourself safe by avoiding potentially stressful or unpredictable situations until you are certain that the sensitivities surrounding the triggering have fully passed.

Whenever you don’t quite feel yourself, it is wise to lean into self-care routines, such as watching your favourite sports and films, spending time with friends and family, going for a walk – whatever it is that keeps you happy. Whereas going out for drinks, for example, can always be a mistake if you aren’t in the best headspace, as impairing the control of your thoughts, feelings, and actions, can leave you in a really vulnerable place.

The way being triggered looks and feels varies greatly for different people. Sometimes it is immediate, and sometimes it can take days. Reactions can make you feel manic and aggressive, or it can make you feel worthless and afraid. In short, the better you know yourself, the easier it can be to identify if you’ve been triggered.

Talking therapy is a particularly good way to highlight, analyse, and understand triggers, as well as exploring grounding techniques for navigating your way out of the situation should it arise. Feel free to contact me should you wish to book a free consultation.