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What are PTSD triggers? Is there a way to manage the effects of being exposed to them? People with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have experienced one or more traumatic incidents that have left them with lingering emotional problems that significantly interfere with their daily lives.
One of the most challenging PTSD symptoms to deal with is unexpectedly encountering reminders or PTSD triggers, which 'trigger' a powerful and unpleasant emotional reaction. This emotional reaction frequently consists of severe anxiety, great bodily arousal, and unfavorable thoughts.
Identifying PTSD triggers
Though they can differ from person to person, PTSD triggers are typically connected to your senses, such as sight, smell, or sound. Additionally, some lifestyle elements, such as a lack of sufficient social support, might exacerbate PTSD triggers.
Your brain associates a smell, sound, sight, or other sense with traumatic memory. The memories you conjure up are abnormal if you have PTSD. Memory is not perceived by your brain as being in the past. This means that experiencing the same thing again can be triggered by recollections of the previous experience.
While every person is unique, there are a few common triggers for PTSD. Any time a person, thing, or location connected to the trauma is seen, a reaction may occur. Similar symptoms can be triggered by watching a similar incident in a movie or in the news. PTSD triggers might include things like:
1) Smell
A certain scent might bring on the effects of trauma. For instance, if you were abused by someone who was wearing a certain kind of aftershave, you can feel traumatic symptoms if you smell that aftershave again.
2) Sounds
It may be triggering to hear a sound that is similar to one connected to trauma. An illustration could be a car that backfires. Automobile backfiring could resemble a gun or military weapon if you have combat-related PTSD. Trauma symptoms can return when spoken to in a specific way or with a certain tone.
3) Situation
If you repeatedly experience trauma at a certain time of day, such as when the sun is setting, this time of day can cause trauma symptoms to manifest. A similar atmosphere can cause PTSD symptoms if you have encountered trauma in a crowded place with lots of people.
4) Taste
Consuming food or beverages that you did so at the time of a distressing occurrence can bring back memories of that experience.
Coping with PTSD triggers
To determine which individuals, events, and things are likely to result in stress reactions, try to identify what causes your PTSD symptoms. By doing so, you can prepare ahead of time and have techniques at the ready for when triggers arise. Try the coping mechanisms and grounding methods listed below:
1) Maintain composure when faced with triggers
Calming down when you become triggered is the first step in coping with it. Grounding activities are one method for achieving this, which may be learned and practiced. Physical relaxation techniques like controlled breathing are among them, as are activities that divert your attention from disturbing memories.
Tell yourself when you do this, "That was then. This is now". When triggers become routine, you can prepare for them by anticipating them and being ready to perform your grounding techniques when they occur. Fortunately, triggers happen under predictable circumstances.
2) Decrease the frequency
The next phase is to lessen the frequency of being triggered after you are confident that you can calm yourself in the face of triggers. You can achieve this by exposing yourself consciously to recollections of the traumatic incident gradually and consistently.
There are two different kinds of this exposure: (1) in-vivo or real-life exposure to circumstances, people, objects, and other stimuli that trigger memories of the traumatic experience; and (2) imaginal exposure to those memories. Decrease the frequency of being triggered by performing these two types of exposures frequently and for an adequate amount of time each time.
3) Therapy and Medication
If your coping mechanisms alone aren't effective enough for you, discuss your trauma and PTSD triggers with your healthcare professional. They can suggest a mental health expert who can both treat your PTSD and assist you in identifying the circumstances that are most likely to set off its symptoms.
Psychotherapy and medication are frequently used to treat PTSD. In this manual on treating PTSD, you can find out more about your available treatment choices.
There is assistance available if you are having difficulty avoiding PTSD triggers and managing the symptoms of PTSD. Numerous support organizations offer tried-and-true strategies to assist you in regaining control over your life.
Triggers for PTSD are frequently unforeseen and can have a significant influence on your life. A mental health expert can assist you in overcoming your worries or learning effective coping mechanisms if you have trouble controlling your PTSD triggers.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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