Trauma can be defined as a distressing life event that negatively impacts your life. When your life has been turned upside down by trauma, you may find that you run into triggers everywhere. Triggers can be internal or external and they may be subtle or overt. Nonetheless, they disrupt your life and may make you relive the distressing event over again. Today, I want to talk about triggers and share how trauma treatment can help you cope with the hold they have on your life.
Trauma triggers are caused by something in your environment. These triggers remind you of your trauma and may cause you to experience uncomfortable and unwanted PTSD symptoms. Triggers fall into two categories: internal and external. Internal triggers include memories, thoughts, and bodily sensations. External triggers include people, places, and things in your environment that remind you of what happened.
Common examples of trauma triggers include:
Thoughts- Memories
- Bodily sensations (pain, nausea, racing heart, etc)
- Anger- your own or other’s
- Feelings of abandonment or loneliness
- Feelings of vulnerability, weakness, or inadequacy
- Smells
- Sounds
- Certain places
- Flashing lights
- People with certain physical characteristics
- Holidays and anniversaries
- The media (specifically the news)
- Hearing someone else trauma story
Trauma triggers can be upsetting because you can’t always prepare to experience them and often are blindsided by their occurrence. Furthermore, it’s almost impossible to avoid internal triggers because you can’t avoid your thoughts and bodily sensations.
Or, perhaps you can anticipate a trigger. But, the possibility of running into it brings causes you anxiety and distress. So you avoid it and miss out on living your life to the fullest.
Trauma Triggers Can Cause You to Experience PTSD symptoms
Trauma triggers can be very distressing and cause you pain and unhappiness. And, they may also cause PTSD symptoms including:
- Distressing memories
- Flashbacks
- Sadness and depression
- Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
- Anxiety and hypervigilance
- Anger
- Hostility
- Sleeplessness and nightmares
Advice for Coping with Your Trauma Triggers
The first step in coping with your trauma triggers is identifying them. So, take a few moments and ask yourself when and where your PTSD symptoms usually occur. Take note of what was happening in your environment and in your body. Jot those down.
Then, after you have identified your triggers, I strongly encourage you to reach out to a trained trauma therapist to learn various coping techniques and ways to process your trauma. PTSD is not something that can just go away on its own. In fact, if you do not deal with it, it may get worse until your ability to cope at all is significantly lessened. Trauma treatment and PTSD can help.
A skilled trauma therapist will work with you to process your trauma in a safe and non-judgemental environment. They will support you as you deal with the challenging emotions you may experience and help you learn a variety of coping techniques to deal with your symptoms.
However, if you’re in distress and unable to see a therapist right away. I want to offer you some things you can try to manage your symptoms in the meantime. Try the following coping techniques:
- Breathe deeply
- Meditate
- Exercise
- Reach out to a friend or family member for support
Begin Trauma Therapy in Roswell, GA
The trauma therapists at Wellview Counseling offer high-quality therapy at our Roswell, GA counseling office and online therapy in Georgia. If you’re in need of support to better cope with the trauma you’ve experienced we would be honored to speak with you about the ways we can help you move forward. Follow these steps to begin counseling in Atlanta, GA:
- Reach out to our counseling clinic and schedule a consultation call with one of our therapists,
- Meet with a trauma therapist and ask any questions you may have about trauma therapy at Wellview Counseling
- Begin counseling in Rosewell and find hope for a better tomorrow.
Other Therapy Services Offered at Wellview Counseling
Wellview Counseling in Atlanta, GA offers many mental health services to help you or your loved ones find healing and growth. Our therapy services include play therapy, child counseling, individual counseling, social skills groups for kids, therapy for postpartum anxiety and depression, anxiety treatment, trauma and PTSD treatment, chronic illness counseling, family therapy, and positive discipline parent education opportunities. So, reach out to our Roswell, GA mental health clinic to learn more about counseling or online therapy. We would love to discuss the many ways we can help you or your loved one thrive!
About the Author: Therapist Ashley Bobo, LCSW
Ashley Bobo, LCSW is an Atlanta therapist who provides individual and family therapy to help with anxiety, depression, postpartum depression & anxiety, parent coaching, and other mental health concerns.
If you live in the Atlanta area (or anywhere in Georgia) and would like to begin counseling services for your child or anyone in your family, give us a call at 678-288-6221 or email info@wellviewcounseling.com.