Handing Back the Word Triggered to the People it Belongs To

In a recent post I talked about an experience of teaching at uni where I hear students say ‘You are triggering me’

And I talked about the importance of getting clear on owning, taking responsibility for, and gaining agency of our feelings

But it’s called into focus another clarifying of ownership that’s needed. Claire Furchick Pannell and more thanks for sharing your lived experience and emboldening my clarity.

The word triggered belongs to the PTSD community and those with neurological conditions and neurosis.

Dating back to World War 1 the word 'triggered' has been used by clinical professionals to describe a trauma response seen in post war neurosis, aka shell shock.

I’ve never experienced a trigger, so I can’t tell you what it feels like, and it’s best the people with lived experience talk to it - if/when they choose. But I want to articulate something between what I’ve noticed in working with those who have PTSD and what I’ve notice in myself.

When someone is genuinely triggered it comes on suddenly without warning. They can dissociate, shut down, and become panicked or overwhelmed. They may also appear out of touch with reality if they experience flashbacks. It’s a fast, intense, overwhelming traumatic experience.

Now… I’ve experienced fast, intense, overwhelming experiences. And I’ve experienced anxiety, and occasionally dissociation, shut down, and panic. I've got memories that are awful to think about. On rare occasions I’ve had a flashback. But like most people, I do not experience triggers because I don’t have PTSD (neurosis or a neurological condition). Triggers include all those experiences - and much more - but those experiences don’t equal being genuinely triggered.

The word triggered is becoming a catch all for feeling upset, hurt, overwhelmed, agitated, stressed, anxious, angry, embarrassed… But diluting its meaning is not helping anyone and in some cases it’s hurting the PTSD community and those who are living with serious conditions.

I would never say this awful tasting seafood is making me go into anaphylaxis, or this workout is so difficult I’m having an asthma attack. In the same way I’ve never experienced anaphylaxis, or an asthma attack, I’ve not experienced being triggered.

We have to honour the difference.

The word triggered has become too ubiquitous.

Maybe it’s time to give the word back to the people who rightfully own it. Perhaps it’s been accidentally or surreptitiously stolen but if it’s not ours to use we should not appropriate it or perpetuate it’s false ownership.

Let’s give the word its gravitas again and instead find nuanced language for how we are genuinely feeling - hurt, agitated, aggrieved, anxious…

Or as Jennifer Juniper and many others have said use the word ‘activated’ instead.

We can also take time to hear the lived experiences of those who do experience triggers. If they choose to share.

Big love for the complexity of navigating this thing called living and muddling our way through it together.

*NOTE* While I support people with PTSD I’m a complimentary practitioner within a full team of professionals and I support them on their embodiment journey. I do not work directly with them on their triggers nor do I integrate triggers.*

Photo by Linda Trochez on Upsplash