We’ve all heard the term “triggered” over the last few years, but its use as a slang term for angered isn’t close to its true meaning. In psychology, a trigger is a stimulus or situation that provokes trauma or a relapse into depression. Triggers are not the cause of a person’s depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but they serve to activate a recurrence of symptoms.

Common depression triggers include:

  1. Stress. Stress is a big trigger that people with depression must guard against. We all get stressed, but when we dwell on our stress without a stress management plan, it’s likely to cause feelings of being overwhelmed and helpless to change things.
  2. Anniversaries and holidays. Anniversaries, particularly those that include losses, can be very painful. Holidays tend to be stressful, whether there’s a loss or not.
  3. Illness or injury. Illness and injuries often cause a recurrence of depression because of the pain they bring—but the lack of mobility and inability to care for one’s self is the major reason people have depressive relapses. Of course, now that we’re in the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are experiencing depression because of the fear of illness.
  4. Grief or loss. The loss of a loved one provokes grief, but other losses, like the loss of a home or a job can also lead to a person de-stabling.
  5. Seasonal Changes. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real condition in which the shift from the long days of plentiful sunshine found in the summertime give way to shorter, darker winter days. This seems to evoke depression in some people, due to the disturbance in their circadian rhythm.

Managing Depression Triggers

The first step is to identify your triggers. That’s the only way you can build a trigger management plan. Next, evaluate your usual process of coping with these depression triggers. Your process might not be getting you the results you want.

After thinking about how you deal with triggers, consider if you need outside help to develop a plan. A lot of depression triggers can’t be gotten around, but you can get a plan to cope with them. It’s a good idea to have someone who can be both objective and compassionate to assist you in looking at the situations that make your depression worse.

Damaris Aragon, ARNP, BC provides a full spectrum of mental health care to people in Spokane, Washington, and surrounding areas. She focuses on providing personalized, compassionate care that adheres to current evidence-based standards. Reach out to Damaris through her contact page or calling 509-342-6592.