Unresolved Trauma and Triggers

Trauma is not the actual event itself, but rather our reaction and perception of said event. For example, two people could have very similar experiences with a car accident, and only one of those people may have a trauma response to the incident. This is because trauma is relative and subjective, and based on our previous experiences, coping skills, support systems, and overall perception of danger and threat, we internalize events as traumatic or not.

Another example is two different people who grew up with a parent who came home late from work, and sometimes stayed at work later than expected without checking in. As adults, one of these individuals may have processed and moved through this event by rationalizing and understanding that their parent always came home. The other individual may have processed the event as abandonment, and was unable to move through it, therefore they are currently triggered when their partner comes home late from work, or does not check in with them.

Recognizing our triggers and what they are connected to is a great starting point for moving through the areas we are “stuck” in. When you begin to notice that you are triggered, and then take action to better understand what the deeper cause of the trigger is, you can begin to move through the trauma and alleviate the symptoms related to unresolved trauma.