Triggers

A "trigger" is best defined as something that provokes an immediate negative emotional reaction. Triggers become embedded in our nervous system over time, with years of reinforcement making them stubborn and difficult to eliminate. A trigger can be almost anything: something someone says, a person, place, or thing, a scent or taste—anything.

Here's an example:

A client of mine described going to a restaurant with his 14-year-old son and being stricken by a sense of dread during the otherwise mundane act of going out for a meal. He had difficulty understanding why such an ordinary experience was provoking a negative emotional state. We unpacked this in our session and ultimately concluded that my client associated going to a restaurant with his father with two negative life experiences—becoming obese and what he felt was a significant waste of time. Through our work, we successfully reframed and reinterpreted these associations, allowing him to see the experiences in a more positive light.

Cognitive reframing is one way to change or eliminate a trigger. Desensitization, which requires regular exposure to the trigger, is another.

So, what are your triggers? If this sounds similar to Pavlov's dogs, it’s because human behavior is based on the mental connections we create with certain circumstances. Traumatic experiences are obviously more impactful than benign ones, but as this example demonstrates, even something as mundane as a trip to a restaurant can carry subconscious significance.

So, that's how triggers work. Understanding and addressing them will lead to healthier emotional responses and improved mental well-being. Identifying your triggers is the first step toward managing them effectively.