When Is PTSD Triggered

Dr. John Elgin Wilkaitis

Dr. John Elgin Wilkaitis completed medical school at The University of Mississippi Medical Center and residency in general psychiatry in 2003. He completed a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in 2005. Following this, he served as Chief Medical Officer for 10 years of Brentwood Behavioral Healthcare a private health system including a 105-bed hospital, residential treatment, and intensive outpatient services.

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Traumatic or stressful events are sadly inevitable in life. However, the majority of people will only experience one during their lifetime, while a smaller percentage – up to 8% – could go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

PTSD triggers vary depending on the trauma one has experienced. And they are often linked directly with the event itself. Some examples could be people related to the traumatic situation (such as family members), certain objects, sounds, or even places where it happened.

 Survivors need to identify what they might find triggering when faced with potential PTSD triggers. Avoiding them may not always work, and being confronted by something previously avoided may cause significant distress for some sufferers.

 In war veterans, individuals with substance use disorders, and those living in high-stress environments such as refugee camps, these types of PTSD triggers are surprisingly common.

What Is PTSD? 

 (PTSD) is a mental illness resulting from an event – experienced firsthand or witnessed – of horrific proportions. Typical symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety; recurring thoughts about the triggering incident may also accompany these.

It takes most people who experience such an ordeal only briefly before they can adjust and cope with what has happened in their lives. For those whose symptoms worsen over time, continue for long periods, and hinder day-to-day life, there is undoubtedly hope in finding effective treatment to relieve these bothersome woes.

What Are the Causes of PTSD? 

No precise answer can be given to this question, as every person experiences PTSD differently. Some common factors contributing to PTSD include:

  • Witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event such as a car accident, natural disaster, sexual assault, or combat.
  • Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
  • Being the victim of child abuse or neglect.
  • Having a family member who is injured or killed.

What Are PTSD Triggers? 

PTSD triggers vary for every individual. Some people may not notice their PTSD until hearing a car backfire or fireworks – what might trigger someone else’s PTSD depends completely on the situation.

Whether you’re triggered by something in particular or feel an unsettling feeling, when you have a trigger, your brain connections it to the traumatic event and brings up memories of those events from years ago – when your brain perceives the memory as current events rather than simply remembering what happened before.

 The memories one creates with PTSD are different than normal; they become part of who we are now because they never really go away. One might experience flashbacks after seeing another person who resembles someone from the traumatic event; likewise, watching anything on TV that reminds us of what happened can awaken symptoms yet again.

 Thoughts, feelings, emotions -all these things, along with scents and situations, can bring about flashbacks at any time, which makes them hard to escape without professional help.

What Are the Different Types of PTSD Triggers

Post-traumatic stress disorder triggers depend on things that have happened before or after a traumatic event. Some people can remember what they think caused the intense feeling, but others might not be sure if they don’t know how to define it.

Many different reactions can happen, even though every person has personal experiences regarding this topic. For example, someone being near something scary or happening might trigger something for one person to another.

It could be staying away from places with potential conflicts, such as smells, new memories, sounds, and more, that can all relate to the original experience in some way, shape, or form.

With that in mind, here are some different types of triggers:

  • People: It has been found that people who are close to an event or those who caused trauma may have difficulties coping.
  • Places: It is common for people with PTSD to revisit places with a negative association.
  • Feelings: Particularly unpleasant emotions, such as fear, may remind people of how they felt during the traumatic experience and result in flashbacks.
  • Things: Objects associated with traumatic events could trigger the onset of these flashbacks; this includes items such as clothes worn at the time of a traumatizing incident.

 How to Deal with PTSD Triggers

Once you identify what triggers your PTSD, it becomes easier to figure out how you cope with this condition. Managing these triggers doesn’t need to be complicated; one of the first coping steps is talking to a mental health expert, who can teach techniques such as mindful meditation or refocusing through physical activities.

At Defining Wellness Centers, we have talk therapy sessions that will help patients understand their condition better while learning new and more effective ways to manage it.

Benefits of Managing PTSD Triggers

When looking at the future benefits of receiving PTSD treatments, you’ll see how long-term good may come from it. Many people have experienced drastic improvements in their health, including mental stability and functioning at home or in the workplace.

 They found themselves with more time to focus on work or hobbies that once seemed so daunting because they were constantly worrying about panic attacks.

 This led to fewer internal struggles thanks to new coping techniques developed with therapists who know what triggers bring these individual panic attacks. And teach them techniques such as mindfulness exercises through which they slowly relax from adrenaline rushes associated with flashbacks or nightmares.

 Ultimately, receiving therapy is incredibly beneficial for anyone seeking peace of mind by managing reactions provoked by traumatic events that we all face at some point in our lives. Let alone those who experience daily bouts of debilitating flashbacks after fleeing a combat zone or experiencing a near-death trauma. 

Get Treatment for PTSD

At a PTSD treatment center, people can identify what triggers their feelings of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most importantly, they learn coping skills so they may feel normal again when they encounter triggers.

 With the right type of therapy and treatment, individuals suffering from other conditions like alcoholism or PTSD may also find recovery.

 Through various programs at Defining Wellness Centers, such as gender-specific programming; wilderness therapy; nutritional assessments; psychiatric evaluations; dual diagnoses treatments; family counseling, group counseling, and individual counseling—you are not alone in this journey toward feeling whole again.

 You don’t have to fight this battle against yourself anymore when you come for help at Define Wellness Centers. Learn more about our services by calling us today at (855) 637-0867.

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