Why It's Time to Stop Using the Word 'Trigger'

"The term trigger originated in work with war veterans and combat-related trauma. Long before PTSD was formally recognized as a diagnosis, clinicians observed that soldiers returning from war could experience intense, involuntary reactions to stimuli that resembled aspects of combat. Loud noises, backfiring cars, helicopters, certain smells, or sudden movements could instantaneously activate the nervous system into survival mode. The word was intentionally literal: Just as pulling a gun's trigger leads to immediate discharge, trauma-related triggers caused an automatic physiological response without conscious choice."

"For years, the word trigger has been a staple in mental health language. The concept of psychological triggers, especially in PTSD, originates from both classical conditioning principles (Pavlov, Watson) and observations of war veterans (e.g., " shell shock"). Today, however, trigger has escaped the therapy office and entered pop culture, social media, and everyday conversation. In the process, it has lost much of its meaning-and, worse, may be causing harm."

Psychological triggers originated in clinical observations of war veterans and from classical conditioning principles, describing cues that automatically activate survival responses. Triggers produce flashbacks, panic, dissociation, or hyperarousal in PTSD rather than mere discomfort. Popular use of 'trigger' has broadened to label everyday emotional upset, blurring distinctions between distress and danger and potentially minimizing trauma survivors' experiences. Overuse of the term can weaken emotional literacy by replacing specific feelings with a vague label, reducing accountability and impeding resilience. More precise emotional language and naming of physiological and emotional responses supports healthier conversations, better coping, and clearer interpersonal boundaries.

Read at Psychology Today