Have you heard the story of the dog and the bell? Pavlov rang a bell and the dog didn’t do anything. Then, he proceeded to give the dog a treat every time he rang the bell. Slowly, the dog started to salivate whenever he heard the bell because he knew he was going to get a treat. That’s called classical conditioning. Why is this relevant or important? Because we make similar associations like that everyday without realizing it. When we make those associations and they’re negative, those are called triggers. All triggers are just classical conditioning.
There are many things in this world that can be a trigger, but it’s what you do when you’re triggered that matters the most. When we get triggered, we’re in such a heightened emotional state–you’re being reminded of something you probably don’t want to be reminded about. So, what do you do? Do you cave into the trigger or do you divert your attention? How do we get out of such a state of heightened emotions? Unfortunately, there’s many things in our environment that can trigger us. Triggers can be people, places, or things–that includes your family, your job, an inanimate object, etc.
When we are triggered, it’s best to distract ourselves, but you have to do it quickly. The seed in your brain has already been planted, you only have a limited window before the emotions take over too much. Your distraction can look like journaling, coloring, taking a hike, etc. Trying to just “move on” from the thought or avoiding your trigger might not be possible, so finding an activity or a brain exercise that can immediately distract you from that thought is ideal. Trying to make new associations is what ultimately gives you the most power and control over whatever triggers a certain behavior. Although it’s not entirely possible to avoid what triggers you, it is important to know what triggers you and what to do after you’re triggered so you don’t fall into a repeating cycle.
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