 Hey, Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Before we start, we would like to thank you all for the support that you've given us. Psych2Go's mission is to make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone, and you help us do that, so thank you. Now, back to the video. Have you ever seen, smelled, or heard something that caused you to have a mental breakdown? An emotional trigger is an event that evokes a usually negative emotional reaction. It can cause flashbacks, which make it seem like you're reliving your past traumatic event. The experience can feel frightening and exhausting, and you may not even be aware that you're emotionally triggered. So, to help you become more aware and prepared, we've made this video to help you recognize eight signs that you may be emotionally triggered. Before we begin, we would like to mention that this video is created for educational purposes only, and is not intended to substitute a professional diagnosis. If you suspect you may have emotional triggers, we highly advise you to seek help from a qualified mental health professional. With that said, let's begin. Have you ever dissociated or felt distanced from reality? Dissociation is the feeling of being disconnected from your body or from the world around you. There are different types of dissociation, such as depersonalization, which is having out-of-body experiences, derealization, where you see the world as a dream, dissociative amnesia, identity confusion, and others. Dissociation is also a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder, which develops as a result of trauma and includes intense reactions to emotional triggers. Are you suddenly bothered by things that don't usually irritate you? Maybe it's frustration over getting stuck in traffic when you usually enjoy the commute, or feeling impatient when your close friends are talking. If you find yourself more annoyed than usual, especially with the people you love, you may be experiencing annoyance as a coping mechanism to keep yourself from reacting to an emotional trigger. Do you go out of your way to avoid certain people or places? Well, it's pretty common to avoid a significant other after a breakup or a friend after a fight because you know seeing them will bring back unwanted memories or create conflict. People with emotional triggers might also avoid places where a traumatic event occurred, events with loud noises or strangers who look like people who were part of the traumatic event. Simple everyday actions might also be a trigger, especially for people with PTSD. Do you find it hard to stay on task or to interact with a lot of people? Feeling overwhelmed by everyday tasks that are easy to accomplish may be a sign that you are emotionally triggered. While this feeling of being overwhelmed can also be an effect of depression, anxiety, or ADHD, if you continue to have a problem maintaining a daily routine for months or even years after a traumatic event, then it may be likely you're emotionally triggered or are suffering from PTSD. Do you experience heightened feelings of anxiety or have frequent panic attacks? Some symptoms of a panic attack include increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, chest pains, and the experience of intense fear. While panic attacks can be a sign of an anxiety disorder, increased anxiety about a specific event, especially when connected to past trauma or activities you used to enjoy, may be a sign that you're emotionally triggered instead. Are you suspicious of others or feel unsafe in low-risk situations? Trust issues can develop from trauma and make you irrationally suspicious of everyone. This belief that others will harm you or do something that will trigger you is also a likely sign that you may be emotionally triggered. People who are emotionally triggered or who have been diagnosed with PTSD may have trouble sleeping as a result of a traumatic event for a few reasons. Trauma experienced during the night may cause you to have an emotional reaction during nighttime. Having reoccurring nightmares or experiencing flashbacks when you try to sleep may also make it more difficult for you to rest during the evening. Do you live in fear that someone or something will cause you to lose control of your emotions or have an emotional breakdown? Having a public breakdown is often a traumatic event in itself and it can trigger other emotions such as anger, fear, or emotional pain. While you may be aware of your reoccurring triggers, unknown triggers may pop up in conversations, new environments, or repressed thoughts that resurface causing feelings of intense anxiety and worry. Did you relate to any of these signs? Tell us in the comments below. If you think you might have emotional triggers, talking to a therapist, friend, or family member about it can help. Therapists or other licensed mental health professionals can also help you recognize the events that caused you to be emotionally triggered and help you work through them to begin the healing process. We at Psych2Go support you in your journey and encourage you to keep learning about mental health. If you found this video helpful, please like and share it with others who may find it useful too. All the references used are also added in the description box below. Subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell icon to get notified whenever we post a new video. Thank you so much for watching and we'll see you in the next one.