In this fast life, emotional triggers pop up anytime when people are under uncontrolled stress and anxiety. A comment from one of your coworkers could be just a certain way it was delivered, or perhaps it brings up some memory all of a sudden. Moreover, it might even be a bad day, but whatever it is, these emotional triggers always keep us out of balance.
‘’Studies have shown that almost 60% of adults report significant emotional distress in response to daily life challenges, and about 7% of the population will meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder. ‘’
Therefore, there is a need to understand how these emotional responses should be managed to maintain good mental health and well-being.
One of the most efficient ways of dealing with emotional triggers is Dialectical Behavior Therapy from DBT Center of Wisconsin LLC. This technique binds cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness practices to be used for the regulation of one’s emotions and interpersonal effectiveness.
Below are some strategies for self-care that derive from DBT principles that will be of great help to you when handling emotional triggers.
Mindfulness Meditation
DBT core principle- mindfulness
This is just one of the great tools that can help you know your emotional trigger. It can help you in understanding how you react emotionally without judgment by getting in touch with thoughts and feelings at present.
Exercise Mindfulness
Start small Begin with just a few minutes initially, using your breath as a focus. Gradually increase the time from there.
Audio Guided Meditations
Headspace or Calm offers guided sessions geared specifically towards the management of emotions.
Daily Check-Ins
Take a few minutes each day to take a break and review your feelings. Consider what you’re feeling and ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?”
Emotion Regulation Skills
The foundation of DBT is teaching you emotion regulation skills. That is, you learn to know and control your emotional reactions instead of controlling you.
Strategies for Emotion Regulation
Identify Triggers
Keep a journal of situations or events that heighten emotional upset. Knowing what triggers your challenges allows you to take action to better manage them.
Use the ABC Model
Identify Activating events, the Beliefs about them, and the consequences of those beliefs. This helps you see where the eruption of your emotions is being influenced by your thoughts and actions.
Practice Distress Tolerance
Do anything possible like; walking, listening to music, or other hobbies to divert your mind from emotional trouble.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
DBT teaches how to be effective in interactions with others when emotions are triggered. It has often been noticed that while on an emotional trigger, one shouldn’t express oneself properly as it will result in unnecessary conflicts.
Building Interpersonal Skills
Use ‘I’ statements to show the other person how you are feeling instead of accusing them. State your feelings with the use of this say, ‘’I feel angry” instead of saying, “You make me angry.”
Active Listening
State that you are trying to understand the other person’s perspective. Reflect on what they express so that they can validate their emotions.
Setting Boundaries
Clearly explain your needs and boundaries so that you can avoid situations or circumstances that can cause you emotional distress.
Self-Compassion and Acceptance
Another significant aspect of DBT is self-compassion, being gentle and accepting yourself, not judging and condemning yourself for feeling triggered.
Building Self-Compassion
Identify Your Feelings
Allow yourself to feel those emotions. All you do is remind yourself that it is normal and entirely humane to feel triggered.
Positive Self-Talk
Try to talk positively and highly of yourself and replace negative self-time with positive ones. Replace negative self-talk with affirmations. Also, don’t blame yourself for everything, and keep an affirmative approach.
Self-care
Giving time to yourself is central to securing more enhanced body functions. This can be done through exercise, reading, or time with loved ones.
Behavioral Activation
At other times, it may be hard for triggers to back down without over-stepping their boundaries and making you want to scurry off into a hole and hide. That may feel good for a little bit because the pleasant activities will be crowded out by avoidance behavior.
Strategies for Behavioral Activation
Make a List of Fun Activities
Determine what you enjoy, such as painting, gardening, or watching your favorite TV show.
Schedule to Do Them
Schedule yourself to do them as often as possible, especially when you feel like you may be triggered
Set Achievable Goals
Break down the tasks into little, manageable chunks so that you don’t get overwhelmed
Building Support Network
The first and foremost thing while dealing with emotional triggers is to have a support system. Knowing such people who would be good listeners might comfort you and help curb your emotions.
Creating Your Support Network
Talk to Friends or Family
Share your experiences and feelings with trusted people. Sometimes, talking about your triggers can provide relief.
Furthermore, seek out community groups at home, or using the internet, that are focused on emotional wellness. Meeting peers who share similar struggles often aids in a sense of connection.
You may also see the help of a therapist. Such experts are educated and have skills working with individuals facing unusual circumstances.
Gratitude
Maintaining a daily gratitude log, among other practices, can shift your attention from what best triggers you to what brings you happiness and fulfillment.
How to Practice Gratitude?
Maintain A Gratitude Journal
This is a very unique practice of listing down the things you are grateful for every day, it will result in boosting your psychological well-being.
Share Gratitude with Others
Thank that one person who touched your heart, this way you will make them love you more and more in return.
End
Want to spend the rest of your life an emotionally stable one? Then learn to deal with your emotional triggers. Hence, DBT remains inclusive in offering self-care measures that can induce resilience in individuals and enhance their mental state.
Moreover, by implementing the valuable tools discussed above in the blog, one can learn to navigate the process of emotional triggers.
Lastly, accept these strategies and pair up with DBT Center of Wisconsin LLC to empower yourself to take charge of your emotional landscape.