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- Dictionarytriggered/ˈtrɪɡəd/
adjective
- 1. (of a mechanism) activated by a trigger: "a triggered alarm"
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experiencing a strong emotional reaction of fear, shock, anger, or worry, especially because you are made to remember something bad that has happened in the past: With my PTSD I'm very easily triggered. Fewer examples. When you're triggered it can be hard to think rationally.
Dec 6, 2016 · The meaning of TRIGGERED is released, initiated, or set off by a trigger. How to use triggered in a sentence.
be triggered by sth The sell-off was triggered by a profits warning. to make a piece of equipment , etc. start working : Any attempt to jack the car off the ground triggers the alarm automatically .
- Overview
- Mental Health Conditions Affected by Triggers
- Types of Triggers
- How Triggers Are Formed
- Are Trigger Warnings Helpful?
- How to Cope With Triggers
- How to Get Help
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Triggers refer to the experience of having an emotional reaction to a disturbing topic (such as violence or the mention of suicide) in the media or a social setting. However, there is a difference between being triggered and being uncomfortable.
"Being triggered means that you experience a strong negative emotional reaction in response to a current situation that is disturbing to you in some way. For individuals with a history of trauma or abuse, triggers are often stimuli that bring up involuntary memories of their traumatic past experiences," says Amy Mezulis, PhD, the co-founder and chief clinical officer of Joon.
Feeling triggered isn't just about something rubbing you the wrong way. For someone with a history of trauma, being around anything that reminds them of a traumatic experience can make them feel like they're experiencing the trauma all over again.
However, Mezulis notes that even people without a history of trauma can be triggered when something elicits a strong emotional reaction.
Some people cope with stressful events more easily than others; consider the impact such events might have on people with mental illnesses.
Though commonly used to refer to the experiences of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the term "trigger" can also be used in the context of other mental health illnesses. This includes substance use disorders, eating disorders, and anxiety.
"A trigger can be an issue that activates or aggravates existing symptoms of an existing mental health condition," John McGeehan, LCSW, CADC, founder and CEO at The Dorm, which offers intensive trauma therapy for young adults. "An example might be a person with a substance use disorder who finds walking by a bar or smelling alcohol prompts cravings and thoughts of drinking," he explains.
Internal Triggers
An internal trigger comes from within the person. It can be a memory, a physical sensation, or an emotion. For example, if you're exercising and your heart starts pounding, the sensation might remind you of a time you were running from an abusive partner. Other common internal triggers include: Anger Anxiety Feeling overwhelmed, vulnerable, abandoned, or out of control Loneliness Muscle tension Memories tied to a traumatic event Pain Sadness In the context of mental health conditions, internal triggers are the cognitive and emotional cues that lead to a relapse of symptoms. For example, negative thoughts and feelings might trigger a relapse of drug or alcohol use.
External Triggers
External triggers come from the person's environment. They can be a person, place, or a specific situation. What may be a normal, everyday situation or minor inconvenience for some may be triggering to someone living with mental illness. For example, a person living with trauma may be triggered by: A movie, television show, or news article that reminds them of the experience A person connected to the experience Arguing with a friend, spouse, or partner A specific time of day Certain sounds that remind them of the experience Changes to relationships or ending a relationship Significant dates such as holidays or anniversaries Going to a specific location that reminds them of the experience Smells associated with the experience, such as smoke Triggers typically elicit strong negative emotions such as fear, anger, or shame. People may feel unsafe or threatened and, as a result, may react by panicking, trying to escape the situation, crying, acting out, or becoming defensive. — AMY MEZULIS, PHD, LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST What Is Abreaction?
Mental health professionals don't yet know precisely how triggers form. Some researchers believe that the brain stores memories from a traumatic event differently from memories of a non-traumatic event.
When triggered, the brain might interpret past traumatic events as current. This causes the body to experience symptoms as it did in response to the original trauma (such as the fight-or-flight response).
A trigger can cause an emotional reaction before a person realizes why they have become upset. Often, triggers have a strong sensory connection (a sight, sound, taste, or smell) or are linked in some way to a deeply ingrained habit. For example, a person recovering from alcohol use disorder might associate a particular activity with drinking.
Some refer to this as "traumatic coupling," in which a trigger is connected to a traumatic experience, causing you to relive it and associated symptoms.
Whether trigger warnings are helpful or harmful is a subject of debate. This question is particularly relevant in college classrooms. Some use trigger warnings to give students time to physically or mentally prepare for potentially distressing subject matter, such as physical or sexual violence. Trigger warnings are used in other settings, too, suc...
Sometimes, trying to avoid a triggering situation is reasonable. However, if avoidance hinders your ability to function, you should seek help.
Learning to cope with triggers you can't anticipate or avoid requires emotional processing, which is most often aided by therapy. The following are a few effective, healthy coping strategies for lessening the impact of triggers:
•Calling on your social support
•Deep breathing
•Exercising
•Expressive writing
"You know that a trigger is something you want to address with professional support when you start to avoid certain situations and your daily life is negatively impacted by everyday stimuli. If you are self-isolating because you don't want to risk coming across the triggers of everyday social dynamics, sounds, scents, or other stimuli, it may be time to seek professional help" McGeehan explains.
If you regularly feel triggered and unable to cope with situations or feelings that arise in your mind or body, make an appointment with a healthcare provider or mental health professional to discuss your symptoms.
If you have not been formally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, a healthcare provider can assess your symptoms and determine the best treatment options for your particular situation.
"Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and trauma-focused therapies such as exposure therapy are highly effective in helping people learn to cope with triggers," Mezulis explains.
Triggered definition: started, set in motion, or released by a specified thing or in a specified way. See examples of TRIGGERED used in a sentence.
Find 68 words that mean the same or opposite of triggered, the past tense of trigger as in activated. Learn the definition of triggered and see examples of its usage and related words.
Verb Smoke triggered the fire alarm. The timer was set to trigger the bomb in exactly one hour. His remarks triggered a public outcry. Certain foods trigger his headaches. The power outage was triggered by heavy rains.
