Recognizing Emotional Triggers

Have you noticed that certain songs can trigger old memories—or certain people or environments can spark something in you the brings emotion?

This isn’t by accident or coincidence. These moments are connected to emotional triggers for you. According to Psychology Today, an emotional trigger is something the sparks a response, accompanied by a feeling of discomfort. If we’re not careful, emotional triggers will have us unhappy in our present because of things that are in our past.

Here are a few examples:

Your previous partner was unfaithful. Although you moved on and you’re enjoying a happy relationship, your new partner says something that reminds you of your past experience.

In grade school, a classmate bullied you because of your weight, and now the thought of their name or the mention of specific body part takes you in a spiral of negative thinking.