Understanding Trauma Triggers: Tips & Tricks for Managing Them
For many trauma survivors, daily life can bring reminders of difficult experiences. These reminders, called “triggers,” can be unsettling, causing a range of intense emotions. Avoiding triggers may feel like a way to protect yourself, but over time, this avoidance can make the trauma response stronger. Learning about triggers—and how to build distress tolerance skills to manage them—can be a key part of recovery.
What Are Trauma Triggers?
A trauma trigger is any sensory experience—sight, sound, smell, thought, or feeling—that brings up distressing memories or reactions related to a traumatic event. These triggers can be either external (something outside of you) or internal (thoughts or feelings within you). Learning to face and tolerate triggers, rather than avoiding them, can help you regain control over your life.
Types of Trauma Triggers
1. External Triggers
External triggers are environmental cues that remind you of the trauma. They’re typically things outside of your body, such as people, places, sounds, or situations. Common examples include:
People: Someone who resembles a person involved in the trauma or strangers who look similar in some way.
Places: Visiting or even passing by a location related to the trauma.
Sounds: Specific noises, music, or words can bring back memories.
Scents: Strongly linked to memory, certain smells can instantly trigger a trauma response.
Visuals: Images or even colors similar to those from the traumatic time or place.
Anniversaries: Specific dates or seasons may also be triggering.
Managing External Triggers:
Prepare for Known Triggers: Plan grounding techniques, such as deep breathing or focusing on sensory details, when you know you’ll be exposed to a specific trigger.
Use a Support System: Bring a friend or family member when facing a difficult trigger, or have a trusted person on call.
Create a Safe Space: Carry comforting items that help you feel grounded if triggered, like a small object, a soothing scent, or music.
2. Internal Triggers
Internal triggers are thoughts, feelings, or physical sensations that bring up trauma-related memories. These triggers can be harder to recognize, as they come from within. Common internal triggers include:
Emotions: Feelings of anger, loneliness, or sadness that bring back memories.
Physical Sensations: Tightness in the chest or a racing heartbeat may echo how your body felt during the trauma.
Thought Patterns: Thoughts like “I’m unsafe” or “I can’t handle this” can come up during stress.
Body Memories: Specific body sensations like numbness or pain can serve as reminders.
Managing Internal Triggers:
Mindfulness and Grounding: Ground yourself by focusing on the present moment through sensory activities, like holding a cold object or feeling textures around you.
Challenge Negative Thoughts: Remind yourself that you’re safe in the present moment, and identify any unhelpful thought patterns.
Self-Compassion: Respond kindly to feelings that arise, using self-soothing techniques like breathing exercises or comforting routines.
Avoiding Triggers vs. Building Distress Tolerance
While avoiding triggers might feel protective, it can increase the intensity of your trauma response over time. The more we avoid triggers, the more they gain power, reinforcing the brain’s belief that these experiences are too overwhelming to face. Minimizing exposure is helpful in certain cases, but building distress tolerance skills to manage these triggers is often a more sustainable path.
By learning to face and tolerate these experiences with skill, you can gradually reduce the distress they cause and regain a sense of safety and control. Therapy and self-help strategies can help you develop distress tolerance, allowing you to live more freely without feeling trapped by your trauma.
Tips for Managing Triggers in the Moment
Practice Deep Breathing: Slowing your breath signals safety to your brain. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold briefly, and exhale slowly.
Grounding Techniques: Anchor yourself in the present by engaging your senses, like touching a familiar object or listening to calming sounds.
Visualize a Safe Place: Close your eyes and imagine a place where you feel safe. Picture it in detail, focusing on how it looks, sounds, and smells.
Label Your Feelings: Naming your emotions—"I feel anxious" or "I’m feeling afraid"—can help you manage them with more awareness.
When to Seek Professional Help
If triggers interfere with daily life or feel overwhelming, professional support can help. Trauma therapy can guide you through processing trauma and reducing the intensity of triggers over time. With the right support, you can build the skills to manage reactions and heal from the impact of trauma.
