Trigger
A cue—internal or external—that sets off a strong emotional or physical reaction tied to past experience.
A trigger is a cue—something seen, heard, smelled, said, or remembered—that sets off a strong emotional or physical reaction tied to past experience. Triggers are not weaknesses; they are signals from the nervous system. Therapy can help by widening awareness of triggers, building grounding skills, and slowly working with the underlying experiences.