Triggers Once it is understood how a person’s response system may be rewired because of trauma, there is a responsibility to think about things that may elicit a stress response in that person. People may be triggered by actions that make them feel vulnerable, helpless, afraid, oppressed, or not in control. Other triggers include threats or feeling threatened; isolation; interacting with authority figures (law enforcement, social work systems, school systems, etc.); lack of information; being told what to do; being touched, watched, or ignored; and having someone ask intrusive or personal questions. Like trauma, triggers are very subjective and unique for each person. Just about any sensory experience can be a trigger. Any sight, sound, taste, smell, or touch that reminds the person of a trauma can lead to a physiological response. It can be difficult to identify a person’s trigger without connecting with that person and supporting them as they reflect and name the trigger for themselves. Changes in body language and physiology may be important signifiers that a person is triggered. Certified peer specialists must recognize that each person’s response to a trigger is different. Most behaviors make a lot more sense when they are put in the context of the person’s experiences. When time is taken to hear, validate, and understand that person’s story, it is possible to see the behavior from a new perspective, a trauma-informed perspective.
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