How to Tackle Unknow Childhood Trauma that Triggers Us

Introduction

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can develop for a variety of reasons, including abuse, neglect, abandonment, violence, or an accident. Trauma has the capacity to strike at any time and express itself in a variety of ways, ultimately leading to changes in an individual’s cognitive processes, behaviours, and emotional responses. These stressful interactions may materialize in unexpected ways. In this section, we will look at seven of these perplexing triggers to obtain a better understanding of them.

Nature is singular

Sensations Without a doubt, every stimulus that invokes memories from one’s past, whether by sight or sound, has the ability to generate negative emotions in a person. Certain tastes, smells, and even textures might elicit memories of a person’s traumatic experience. Because your sense of smell is so tightly related to your memories, you may be more sensitive to particular stimuli.

According to a 2015 McLean Hospital report, this works similarly to how a fragrance might trigger reminiscence or bring solace, such as the aroma of fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies. The brain has an extremely quick response time, capable of generating an emotional response before the conscious mind can completely comprehend the experience at hand.

Managing Efficiency

Our secondary focus is on efficiently managing people who are more sensitive and emotionally reactive. When confronted with extreme emotions, such as tears or shouted voices, a challenging or neglected childhood may cause a growing sensation of uneasiness. This could be linked to the early trauma you endured.

As Dr. Denise Webb of Psych Central pointed out in 2019, this relates to how another person’s emotions might influence one’s own. When someone is emotional, you may feel a burst of emotions that you were previously informed were forbidden. This situation may cause discomfort, leading to a desire to leave as soon as possible.

Unique reactions to a wide range of locations and people

Because traumatic memories can cause flashbacks, putting oneself in settings that elicit painful memories might be difficult. Any similarities to your traumatic experience have the potential to act as a trigger. According to the Integrative Life Centre in 2022, encountering someone who seems like someone who has harmed you or being in a location that looks like a bad place can evoke terrible memories.

It is possible that you won’t always notice this, but speaking with certain people may cause you to feel uneasy for no apparent reason. It’s possible they trigger memories of a former acquaintance; perhaps the colours of their clothing or their physical build reflect similarities to an oppressor, providing subtle hints.

Realistic alternative

Keeping away from assistance If your previous experiences with requesting help as a child were less than gratifying, you may face difficulties doing so as an adult. If you were ignored or demeaned as a child when you requested assistance, you may retain this anxiety in others owing to the fear of their reaction. When a youngster is rejected while seeking aid, it might pose substantial issues when it comes to asking for support in the future, even when it is required.

Establishing such a relationship with someone in whom you should have faith at a young age, according to Dr. Webb of Psych Central, can result in substantial issues when requesting aid from others in the future, as it may elicit feelings of humiliation, despair, and inadequacy.

It is critical to avoid disagreement at all costs

If you were subjected to a traumatic event or were mistreated as a child, you may have developed a coping mechanism that includes a strong desire to avoid conflict by any means necessary. According to Sean Grover, a registered professional social therapist, avoidance can be divided into three categories. Making apologies, agreeing, and exhibiting a willingness to accommodate Even in situations that contradict one’s personal principles and views, one may find oneself frequently apologizing or being unduly accommodating.

One may also have the constant sensation of needing to accommodate the wants of others. Finally, you may have seen that you frequently put the needs of others before your own. Even if you make every attempt to avoid confrontation, your relationships may become unstable, distant, and ultimately lost despite your best efforts to avoid it. The meeting.

Avoidance can progress to the point that even those closest to you are unable to contact you, resulting in a sense of seclusion. The material we consume has a big influence on the emotions we feel. That also applies to you, my dear friend. Everything from television to movies to music to news stories and more has a significant impact. You can’t escape the horrible details that, when relayed through the media, can make you feel as if you’re experiencing them yourself.

Other Triggers for Childhood Trauma

The scientific investigation Dr. Jessica Hamblin, a member of the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, argued in 2023 that viewing news content centered on death, chaos, and violence can be a depressing experience. According to her, seeing such material may leave you in a susceptible mental state, raising the possibility of bad emotions and ideas. To reduce the quantity of distressing material you absorb, you may want to avoid watching the news or do some advance research on a film you intend to see.

The unstoppable march of time, as well as the passing of anniversaries Because recalling prior experiences triggers painful memories, any specific detail has the ability to function as a trigger. As the anniversary of a loved one’s death or a catastrophic event approaches, you may become more nervous than normal.

Our Brain is Amazingly at Fault

Your brain is good at spotting patterns when the seasons change or the calendar flips, serving as a subtle reminder that an event anniversary is approaching. This is how the brain alerts us to the possibility of a catastrophic catastrophe, according to a study by the National Centre for PTSD.

According to Dr. Hamblin of the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma, when our brain identifies patterns similar to previous traumatic situations, it goes into overdrive to protect us from danger. In certain cases, it may help us escape danger, while in others, it is completely unavoidable and a big drain on our time.

While dealing with the aftermath of trauma can be difficult, it is critical to recognize that help is available and that recovery is possible. It’s a difficult undertaking to determine the extent to which our difficulties affect us. However, speaking with a mental health professional can help alleviate this problem.