Definition & Examples (in Psychology)

From the perspective of psychology, triggers are events that happen around us (and less often, inside us) that cause us to have particular emotional reactions or behave in specific ways (Miskewicz et al., 2015). There are two components to a psychological trigger: the event and the reaction to the event. Almost anything can be a triggering event: it can range from something as seemingly trivial as the mailman arriving a half hour later than usual to something as devastating as a natural disaster.
 
Not all triggers are created equal – some will evoke only a minor response in us, while others will cause us to have powerful emotional reactions. One way to categorize our responses to psychological triggers is that they are responses based in fear of punishment or the desire for reward. In other words, psychological triggers encourage us to move closer to or farther away from something (Newman & Wallace, 1993).
 
Emotions themselves can also be psychological triggers, in the sense that they motivate us toward certain actions. For example, the emotions of shame, anger, and anxiety can trigger a variety of impulsive or compulsive behaviors (Abramowitz & Berenbaum, 2007). Impulsive behaviors are those that happen spontaneously and without much conscious thought, such as when a flash of anger causes one child to shove another, or when a wave of nostalgia inspires me to call an old friend so we can reminisce.
 
By contrast, a compulsive reaction is a behavior that we know “works” to “solve” the emotion that has come up. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder, for example, typically have compulsive, ritualized responses to their anxious feelings and thoughts. They have learned – or rather, they have been reinforced to know – that these rituals will reduce their anxiety. While this pattern may be somewhat unique to people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, we have all learned what behaviors work to change the feelings we do not want to have. In this sense, certain emotions trigger certain behaviors in us.

Triggers are abundant in our lives. In an average week, events such as a bus arriving late, traffic in my commute, and a housemate failing to fulfill their chores commitment can all trigger anger in me. Reminders of home and my family trigger sadness or nostalgia. And the laughter of my close friends triggers a smile on my face. I am sure you have your own versions of these daily triggers.

Many events are not initially triggering but cause reactions in us later on. One example of this that has been studied is the phenomenon of displaced aggression (Miller et al., 2003). Sometimes, we are triggered but cannot react in the moment as we would like; for example, when a boy is scolded by his mother for misbehaving, he may feel angry, but know that showing anger will only result in more punishment. So, when his younger sister does something mildly annoying an hour later, he displaces that anger toward his mother and lashes out at his sister instead.

• “Everything that seemingly happens externally is occurring in order to trigger something within us, to expand us and take us back to who we truly are.” – Anita Moorjani
• “Triggers are like little psychic explosions that crash through avoidance and bring the dissociated, avoided trauma suddenly, unexpectedly, back into consciousness.” – Carolyn Spring
• “The effects of unresolved trauma can be devastating. It can affect our habits and outlook on life, leading to addictions and poor decision-making. It can take a toll on our family life and interpersonal relationships. It can trigger real physical pain, symptoms, and disease. And it can lead to a range of self-destructive behaviors.” – Peter A. Levine
• “If we become aware of what’s happening before we act, behavior becomes a function of choice rather than a result of an impulse or trigger. You begin to control your world more as opposed to the outside world controlling you.” – Marshall Goldsmith
• “Everyone is a mixture of fixed and growth mindsets. You could have a predominant growth mindset in an area, but there can still be things that trigger you into a fixed mindset trait.” – Carol S. Dweck
• “Often, little situations trigger enormous reactions. Be there, present for it. Your partner will find it easier to see it in you, and you will find it easier to see it in them.” – Eckhart Tolle

We are not in control of our lives, and we cannot control when or what triggers us. I am continually frustrated by the fact that I get triggered every day, sometimes even by the same things one day after another. I think that just makes me human, though.
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So what do we do with the fact that we get triggered? I have a few suggestions. First of all, we can accept that life triggers us. This helps us let go of one reaction to triggers – namely, frustration with ourselves. We have enough work to do handling how life triggers reactions in us without adding in that frustration.

Next, we can ask ourselves what the message of the trigger is. Triggers bring up emotions, and emotions give us important information about what our environment means to us. If I am feeling anger after something has happened, the trigger may have meant that somebody has crossed my boundaries or taken something away from me. To resolve the feeling, I may need to address what happened between us or clarify what my boundaries are.

I encourage you to be gentle and curious with yourself when you get triggered. Triggers bring up emotions, and emotions point to needs that we have. Triggers can be a powerful opportunity to learn more about how to take care of ourselves. And, when we resolve our feelings successfully, we become more resilient in the face of the next triggers.
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If you’d like to explore many more ideas about how to handle triggers, I recommend watching this video from a therapist. These are the kinds of processes that a licensed therapist can help you learn, practice, and implement on your own:

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• Miller, N., Pedersen, W. C., Earleywine, M., & Pollock, V. E. (2003). A theoretical model of triggered displaced aggression. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 7(1), 75-97.
• Mineka, S., & Zinbarg, R. (2006). A contemporary learning theory perspective on the etiology of anxiety disorders: it’s not what you thought it was. American Psychologist, 61(1), 10-26.
• Miskewicz, K., Fleeson, W., Arnold, E. M., Law, M. K., Mneimne, M., & Furr, R. M. (2015). A contingency-oriented approach to understanding borderline personality disorder: Situational triggers and symptoms. Journal of Personality Disorders, 29(4), 486-502.
• Newman, J. P., & Wallace, J. F. (1993). Diverse pathways to deficient self-regulation: Implications for disinhibitory psychopathology in children. Clinical Psychology Review, 13(8), 699-720.
• Proudfoot, J., Whitton, A., Parker, G., Doran, J., Manicavasagar, V., & Delmas, K. (2012). Triggers of mania and depression in young adults with bipolar disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders, 143(1-3), 196-202.
• Silbereisen, R. K., van Ijzendoorn, M., and Zhang, K. (2013). Vulnerable and resilient children after disasters and gene–environment interplay. In: World social science report 2013: Changing global environments (pp. 257-260). UNESCO.
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