Triggers Aren’t Just in Your Head- Let’s Talk about it!

Listen… can we stop acting like being “triggered” is just someone being dramatic? Because whew, if you’ve ever been minding your business—scrolling, driving, cooking, even laughing—and out of nowhere your body hits you with a wave of anxiety, tears, or shutdown? Yeah… that’s not just in your head. That’s your nervous system trying to protect you.

What’s a Trigger?

A trigger is anything—a smell, a look, a sound —that reminds your brain of a past trauma. And when that memory hits, your body doesn’t wait to ask if it’s “logical.” It reacts.

Your heart races.

Your stomach tightens.

Your mouth gets dry.

Your voice might shake.

You go quiet, or maybe you go off.

And that’s not because you’re “too sensitive.” That’s because trauma doesn’t live in your memory—it lives in your body.

You’re Not Crazy. You’re Wired for Survival.

When you’ve lived through chaos, betrayal, emotional neglect, or even things you didn’t realize were traumatic (like always being the strong one), your nervous system stays ready.

It’s like your body said, “I’m going to be on guard forever? Cool.”

This doesn’t always feel good especially when you’re in a different spot right? You’re not in that place anymore. You’ve grown. You’re healing. But your body? It still needs help catching up.

Real Talk: What Triggers Can Feel Like

• Someone raising their voice → reminds you of childhood yelling

• Feeling ignored in a group → reminds you of being overlooked in past relationships

• Someone needing you constantly → reminds you of codependency or being parentified

• A certain smell or time of year → reminds you of grief, loss, or trauma anniversaries

And the worst part? It can feel embarrassing or like something is wrong with you.

But let me be the one to say: You are not broken. You are human.

So What Do You Do?

Let’s talk healing—not perfection. Not avoiding every trigger (because life be life-ing), but learning how to recognize them and respond with compassion.

Here’s what helps:

• Pause and name it: “Something about this is making me feel unsafe.”

• Breathe like you mean it: Try a deep 4-count inhale, hold, then a slow exhale.

• Ground yourself: Look around and name 5 things you can see, touch, or hear.

• Ask your body, ‘What do I need right now?’: It might be rest, reassurance, or space.

• Talk to your people: Safe, emotionally available people can help you process what happened.

Final Word from Your Resident Therapist

Your healing doesn’t require you to be unbothered. It just asks you to be aware.

Triggers are invitations—not to spiral—but to get curious, get kind, and get support.

Because baby, you’ve already survived the storm. You deserve to feel safe in the sunshine too. As always, I'm rooting for you!

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Created by Cicely Simon, LMFT

Founder of Dear Family Counseling PLLC

www.dearfamilycounseling.com