Skip to content
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
Menu
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • For business
  • En
Menu
  • En
Get the app
  • Mental health

Triggered: Knowing Your Mental and Emotional Triggers

The Hormona Team

Mental health presents itself to us in different ways and there are lots of overlap and similarities. But for the most part, it’s an intensely subjective experience. What brings on feelings of anxiety or depression, stress or anger can be so different to other peoples, that you might not recognize them at first. Identifying your triggers is the first step to recovery but being aware of them on a day-to-day basis might not be really all that easy or obvious.

Most of the information out there refers to general symptoms and triggers, often for parents or family members, but understanding your own emotions is just as, if not more, important. Sometimes they don’t appear as you expect them to.

“MINDS ARE UNIQUE. They go wrong in unique ways. My mind went wrong in a slightly different way to how other minds go wrong. Our experience overlaps with other people’s, but it is never exactly the same experience.” – Matt Haig

What are triggers?

Triggers can be situations, places, conversations or words that prompt or increase mental health symptoms/reactions. Commonly used in association with PTSD, triggers are also applicable to issues such as depression and anxiety, eating disorders or substance abuse.

These can be internal, as well as environmental, and can vary from wide causes, to very specific places, smells or words.

For example, my anxiety gets triggered when I’m in crowded places.

My depression gets triggered by the word ‘stroppy’. Which might give you an insight into what sort of child I was, but that’s a story for another time.

People might have a few triggers, or lots of them. Songs that bring up bad memories, significant dates, sounds, people, making phone calls.

Internally, triggers can be pain, tiredness, loneliness, anger or feeling overwhelmed. When you feel your needs are not being met can be a big emotional trigger.

They are strongly tied to our emotions, often originating from our childhood, such as: being rejected, being abandoned, being blamed, someone not making time for you or making fun of you. As we grow up, we hold onto these events, and as adults, similar situations can trigger these feelings of guilt, shame, anger or sadness.

How to identify mental health triggers

Generally speaking, observation. Taking note of when symptoms spike and what brought it on. It’s not always easy. When you’re struggling with mental health, taking a step back to analyse what exactly happened, isn’t really an easy thing to do. Over time, you begin to recognize patterns. You can look back at past times and be able to recognize exactly what set you off.

Sometimes they are obvious. I know that my anxiety is triggered by crowds, noise and an overload of sensory stimulation. I know this, from every time I’ve been in a busy shop, in a pub or restaurant, every time I’ve been jostled by a crowd. It’s rather hard to avoid.

Often, they are subtle. And suddenly you find yourself feeling bad and thinking that it came upon you out of nowhere. Identifying triggers and their historical root is essential for learning how to manage or heal them and take control of your mental health.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung

Are they useful?

Yes and no. On the one hand, the fact that a word, place or sound can trigger your mental health is not good at all. But other people say that being able to recognize when your mental health is likely to be set off is useful, meaning you work around the problem, avoid it or prepare yourself for it.

I avoid pubs, because I know they’ll set me off. But I do not like the fact that one word from a family member that has followed me from childhood can push me into an emotional spiral that knocks me off my feet. Or that making a phone call takes a lot of energy. But knowing that does mean I can prepare.

How to deal with triggers

There are lots of ways to handle your triggers, once you’ve found the things. From avoidance or distraction, positive self-talk and strengthening support systems (here’s to my mum holding my hand in crowds even though I’m 22) and going down the road of analyzing these triggers, most likely delving into the past to re-evaluate your perception of it from a different point of view.

As I said, mental health is subjective. What works for one person might not for another. Figuring out your own needs and coping methods is something you are allowed to spend time doing.

If triggers, and your mental health, interfere with your life, seek help. Therapy or counseling are there to help you understand your mental health and learn to cope or heal accordingly. Never be ashamed to ask for help. And if you know your triggers, tell someone. They can’t help if they don’t know how.


Disclaimer: This website does not provide medical advice. The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

  • July 16, 2020
  • Mental health
The Hormona Team

The Hormona Team

Articles by the Hormona team are written by the amazing people that are, or have been, involved in Hormona and who all stand behind the cause and purpose of educating and empowering women to live better and healthier lives. It’s all of our goal to share personal stories, helpful information, tips, tricks and experiences to help other women in our community in their daily lives and on their hormonal health journey.

More stories

how to have faith in yourself on grass background

Are you ready to believe in you?

why self esteem affects your mental health

Why Self-Esteem Affects Your Mental Health

outdoor sofa wit self love written on the wall

Why Being Kind to Yourself is So Important and 6 Ways to Practise Being Kind to Yourself

RELATED POSTS

female lower body

Vaginal spasms and Vaginismus: What’s going on

Vagina! There. We said it. Now we can talk about it without feeling too embarrassed. In fact, today

Read More »
juice and a plate of fruit

How do high levels of progesterone impact our hunger?

Sweets. Takeaways. Cakes, ice cream, crisps, bubbles… What are we talking about? Well, aside from being a kickass

Read More »
Hormona app on table

Announcement: The Hormona app is now global.

Gang, we’ve got some big news! We’re thrilled to announce that the Hormona app is global! Yes, women

Read More »
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Our story
  • Our science
  • Hormona Library
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Partnerships
  • Contact
  • Career
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Sign up to our newsletter

Follow us
Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter

© Wlness Science Ltd 2023

Language
  • En
  • En
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You can always opt-out if you wish. Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT