How to Cope with Childhood Trauma Triggers
By
No matter where you live in America, you will find people who have gone through traumatic experiences. Adults are relatively well-prepared to cope with these kinds of experiences. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for children. Childhood trauma exposure may lead to many serious problems in later life. A
trauma treatment program can help affected teenagers regain their sense of well-being. You can also do things outside of treatment to help a teen cope with a traumatic past. At Stonewater, we recognize the severe impact of unresolved childhood trauma. That's why we feature trauma treatment for teen boys also affected by substance problems. Our customized program supports recovery from all forms of trauma and addiction symptoms. To learn more about how we can help, contact us today at
662.373.2828.
What Are Childhood Trauma Triggers?
Most children who live through traumatic experiences suffer no lasting harm. But significant numbers of children do not overcome these kinds of experiences. Instead, they continue to be affected on a conscious or unconscious level. A teenager with a traumatic past may feel relatively okay most of the time. However, in certain circumstances, their trauma-related symptoms can escalate dramatically. What causes this to happen? Typically, the underlying issue is exposure to a trauma trigger. This term describes anything that serves as an involuntary reminder of past trauma. The range of potential childhood trauma triggers is vast. Things known to serve as triggers for many teens and adults include:- Specific smells, sounds, sights, tastes, or forms of touch
- Particular places or people
- Specific times of day or times of the year
- Situations or scenarios that resemble past traumas
- Other kinds of specific situations
- Specific emotional states
- Certain words or topics of conversation
How to Deal with Childhood Trauma Triggers
When considering dealing with childhood trauma triggers, seeking help should be high on your list. This is true for several reasons. First, trauma specialists are trained to identify trauma triggers. Without their help, you may never know why trauma-related symptoms appear. In addition, you may never know which specific things are most likely to produce those symptoms or worsen them. Trauma specialists know how to make it so that people don't get upset when they see or think about things that remind them of the traumatic event. The treatment effectively makes people less likely to be upset by these triggers. In some cases, people may not have any triggers anymore. Even if you don't want to get help from a trauma specialist, there are other things you can do to work on trauma triggers. You can learn what might trigger your symptoms and start noticing when they happen. Understanding your triggers can help you prepare for them and plan how to deal with them. You can also improve your ability to cope with challenging situations. Therapy, relaxation techniques, and exercise can all help with this. If you have a sound support system, that can also make a big difference.Other Ways to Cope with the Triggers of Childhood Trauma
You can do other things during and after treatment to lessen the impact of childhood trauma triggers. Expert recommendations include:- Recognizing when trauma triggers are active
- Practicing the coping skills developed in treatment
- Eating well
- Getting plenty of exercise
- Maintaining a regular sleep pattern
