Although there are often “Trigger Warnings” before TV programmes for most people, identifying triggers takes a lot of time and introspection. However, there are certain steps that you can take to get you on the way to identifying triggers in your life.
Identify Your Responses
Identifying a trigger is hard. But it’s much easier to take stock of what you feel in the moment. When you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed by powerful emotions, take stock of what you’re experiencing. Do you feel angry, or sad, or jealous? What about physical signs—is your heart pounding, are you breathing quickly, etc.? By examining what you’re feeling (both physically and mentally), it will be easier to identify what the triggering event was.
Retrace Your Steps
Once you’ve taken stock of your emotions, try to walk back through what led you to that situation. What were you doing before you got so upset? Was there a particular moment where you could feel the negative emotions coming on? If you can, try to consider the situation and think about what would have made you upset. Oftentimes triggers are rooted in past experiences and traumas, so it’s okay if the triggering event doesn’t “make sense.” Maybe you were driving to work and got a sudden reminder of an accident. It can be anything, so do your best to identify what about the situation made you unhappy.
Repeat the Cycle
Don’t feel discouraged if you can’t identify a trigger on the first try. These feelings are often complicated, and it’s not a failure to require multiple attempts to spot a psychological trigger. Many people get discouraged, but know that you can identify these feelings, even it doesn’t happen right away. (Source: www.ridgeviewhospital.net/how-to-identify-emotional-triggers-in-3-steps/)