How to Cope with Trauma and PTSD Triggers
It feels like it came out of nowhere. All of a sudden you can’t breathe, your palms are sweaty and it feels like your heart is pounding out of your chest. One minute you feel fine and the next you are freaking out. You were enjoying the day with your friends and now all you can think about is the past.
Memories come flooding back and it feels like the trauma has taken over. No matter how hard you try to be in the present moment, it feels impossible. You are triggered and this is not the first time. You are frustrated that this continues to happen. Why can’t the trauma triggers just stop now that the trauma is over? You don’t understand why you keep getting triggered and how to cope with your trauma and PTSD.
What are Trauma and PTSD Triggers?
A trauma or PTSD trigger is an internal or external experience that reminds you of a past trauma. For example, you might smell something and all of a sudden have flashbacks of the bad thing that happened. Your heart might start to race and it’s hard for you to calm down if you feel startled. You have a panic attack every time you think about seeing someone who hurt you in the past.
Internal trauma triggers come from your mind and body such as feelings, and sensations. Feelings of shame, guilt, and dissociation are what some people experience. Others can experience chronic PTSD symptoms, negative self-talk, and trauma memories.
External trauma triggers are experiences that exist outside of us. These include people, places, or situations. Examples include physical touch, witnessing abuse, changes in your life, exposure to graphic content, and specific times of the day.
What are common trauma and PTSD triggers?
Sometimes trauma and PTSD triggers are easy to spot, while other times they are harder to notice. As you become more aware of your own triggers, it becomes easier to know the common circumstances that trigger you. Unfortunately, you cannot always know ahead of time if you will experience a trauma trigger in a certain situation or not. Below are common trauma and PTSD triggers:
Sound: Hearing the sound of certain people’s voices; listening to certain styles of music or songs that remind you of the trauma.
Sight: Being around people who were there during the trauma; looking through old photos; seeing certain ads; and social media;
Smell: Smelling anything that reminds you of the trauma.
Touch: Touching something that reminds you of the trauma.
Taste: Tasting something that reminds you of the trauma.
Situations: Past situations or settings where you experienced trauma; times of the day; holidays; special events; anniversaries.
How to Deal with Triggers from Trauma or PTSD
Coping with trauma triggers is not always easy, but it is possible. If you are reading this blog, it means you are strong, and courageous and have the desire to persevere through hard times. The first step in dealing with trauma triggers is identifying what they are. If you cannot admit that you are experiencing a trauma trigger, how can you move past it? When it comes to coping with trauma triggers, it can be helpful to try many different techniques to see which one(s) works best for you! Think of it like having a toolbox… you want as many tools in there as possible.
Distraction
Distraction is a common technique used in DBT and is effective in reducing the distress trauma and PTSD triggers cause. Although you don’t want to distract yourself forever, it is helpful to use these tools until you feel your emotions are more tolerable.
Examples of distraction techniques are:
Call a friend
Listen to music
Read a book, magazine, or comic
Take a nap
Try a new hobby
Take a bath or shower
Develop a Safety Plan
When you are feeling triggered, you don’t always feel safe. You may start to experience thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else. These thoughts and feelings can be common after experiencing trauma. By developing a safety plan, you remind yourself of things you can do when you feel unsafe or people you can call. It can be helpful to write down your safety plan and keep it with you because it can be easy to forget about it when you feel overwhelmed. Helpful numbers to add to your safety plan are 988 for the National Suicide Hotline and 866-488-7386 for The Trevor Project.
Ground Yourself
Using grounding techniques can help you cope with trauma triggers. Triggers remind you of the past and make it feel like it is happening all over again. Grounding techniques help you stay present in the here and now instead of getting wrapped up in the past or future. As a trauma therapist, the 5-4-3-2-1 technique is one of my favorite grounding activities. You do this by naming:
5 things you see
4 things you feel
3 things you hear
2 things you smell
1 thing you taste
Breathing Techniques
Breathing techniques can be a great way to regulate your nervous system and mind when you experience a trauma or PTSD trigger. There are many different breathing exercises including boxed breathing, paced breathing, and belly breathing. If you want to learn how to do these breathing exercises, you can google them and others. In my experience as a trauma therapist for over 10 years, the most effective breathing technique is simply slowing down enough to notice your breath and feeling the air come in and out through your nose.
Reach out for Support
One of the hardest aspects of trauma is having to go through an overwhelming experience alone. Although you might not have had access to support before, there are people, places, and institutions that are here to support you now. Whether it is a therapy, support hotline, friend, coworker, or family, you don’t have to recover alone. Can you identify one person that you can reach out to when you are feeling triggered?
Calm/Safe Place Exercise
The Calm/Safe Place Exercise is a visualization technique used in EMDR therapy and can help when you are feeling overwhelmed or activated by a trauma or PTSD trigger. If you struggle to find a safe place you identify with, you can replace the word “safe” with “calm.” This is a variation of the exercise used in EMDR:
If it is available to you, close your eyes or look where you feel more comfortable.
Imagine that you are in a place where you feel safe, calm, and free. It might be a place have been before or it might be a place you create in your imagination.
When you look around, what do you notice?
What do you see?
What do you hear?
Who are you with?
What are you doing?
What do you smell?
Notice what sensations you feel in your body. Do you feel calm? More at peace? A little bit lighter? Can you remember your strengths? Abilities? Talents? Attributes?
Before you leave your safe place, take one more look around and see what else you notice.
Remember, this special place, lives within you and you can visit it any time you choose.
Every time you visit this safe place, you are reminded of your strength and of what makes you special.
When you’re ready, open your eyes and continue to keep those feelings of calmness and strength with you.
Begin Trauma Therapy and PTSD Treatment in Detroit, MI Today!
Do you want to move forward from your trauma and PTSD? Have you felt that your trauma and PTSD have kept you from living a rewarding life? Start trauma therapy and PTSD treatment in Detroit, MI today to learn about how our practice can help you. Our experienced Trauma and PTSD therapists can help educate, offer support, and empower you. Take the first step towards reclaiming your life from trauma. Follow the steps below to get started with Embodied Wellness, PLLC:
Fill out our online contact form.
Speak with our skilled Trauma and PTSD therapists.
Start living a happier life.
Other Services Offered at Embodied Wellness throughout Michigan
At Embodied Wellness, PLCC, we strive to make sure all your needs are met. Outside of trauma therapy and PTSD treatment, we offer other services as well. This includes depression treatment, DBT therapy, Somatic therapy, and Empath therapy. We also use EMDR therapy and Internal Family Systems. All these online therapy services are available for both teenagers and adults. Nosotros tambien ofrecemos terapia en español en Detroit y otras partes de Michigan. Take your first step to living a better life.