Panic to Power: Managing Triggers
Staying Grounded When Triggers Try to Drag You Under
“Feelings are just visitors. Let them come and go.” – Mooji
Managing triggers involves observing emotions without letting them overwhelm your sense of safety
Triggers are the absolute worst. One minute, you’re fine—grabbing coffee, watching TV, walking down the street—and the next, bam. Something as random as a word, a smell, a song, or a certain look in someone’s eyes sends you straight back to a place you never wanted to visit again. Suddenly, your heart’s racing, your body feels like it’s bracing for impact, and logic? Yeah, logic has left the chat.
If you’ve been through childhood sexual abuse, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about. Triggers don’t ask for permission. They don’t wait for a convenient time. They just show up, uninvited, and hijack your nervous system. But here’s the good news: you can take that power back.
The first step? Understanding your triggers. Pay attention to what sets them off. Is it a specific smell? A certain phrase? A particular kind of touch? Noticing the patterns helps you anticipate them instead of getting blindsided every time. For me it is a specific name, a specific somewhat common phrase, certain numbers that remind me of the year(s) it happened. Sometimes receiving the back-slapping, shoulder-grabbing kind of contact that men have can be on one hand reassuring that I belong and I am an adult, but also make me flinch.
And when they do hit? Ground yourself. Literally. Press your feet into the floor. Take a deep breath and name five things you see around you. Remind yourself, I am safe. This is now. That was then. In my group therapy, they suggested simply holding out or looking at your hand and spending some time to recognize it as a grown-up hand, not that of the child you once were. Small tactics like these can pull you back to the present when your brain is trying to drag you into the past.
Also? Therapy helps. A lot. Over time, you can rewire how you respond to triggers—so instead of feeling like they own you, you get to call the shots. Journaling, talking it out, or even just recognizing, Okay, I got through that one, can make a massive difference.
The goal isn’t to magically erase triggers (if only, right?). It’s about learning to ride the wave without letting it pull you under. And trust me—you can.
Key Take-away: Understanding your triggers and using grounding techniques can help you regain control in challenging moments.
Reflective Questions:
What are some common triggers you’ve noticed, and how do they affect you?
What grounding techniques or self-care strategies help you feel more present and safe?
How might you prepare for or navigate a situation that you know could be triggering?
Image Credits: Cover Photo by Stormseeker via Unsplash. Photo Above by Zero Take via Unsplash