Although you are not aware, there may be some comments or behaviors that make you react impulsively. It is not always easy to detect what is causing these excessive responses, since, in general, they are due to repressed feelings or an inability to manage complex emotions. Behind a criticism that arouses your susceptibility or the presence of that person that makes you uncomfortable, there may be a bigger problem that endangers your emotional health.
Emotional triggers are, according to psychology experts, facts or situations that cause us a disproportionate and irrational emotional response. These triggers surface externally in the form of anger, contempt or fear to camouflage feelings that have not been assimilated internally. The automatic denial of these emotions can denote certain security and self-confidence problems, which in the long run will end up affecting relationships with your immediate social environment.
The acquisition of these irrational patterns of behavior constitutes a toxic behavior, for which we blame or make others pay for the emotions that we deny within ourselves. It is important to learn to self-regulate these latent feelings, because failure to do so can lead to depression or other problems that affect our mental and physical health.
Observing what are the emotional triggers that influence our behavior is a complicated task, especially if over the years we have hidden the experiences or traumas that trigger these reactions. One way to identify them is to write down the most significant emotional responses in a journal over time. This is a first step to bring this type of situation under control.
Recognizing what are the emotional triggers that lead us to overreact allows us to choose between letting ourselves be carried away by this feeling again or learning to control it. Assuming what facts, people or circumstances terrify or anger us will also prevent us from blaming others for our behaviors or constantly justifying them.
It is recommended that, additionally, you begin to express the feelings that you have identified as the triggers for your impulsive reactions. You can share your experience with a friend or relative from your closest environment or go to a consultation with the therapist.
A professional will equip you with the tools to also discover where those feelings that you are learning to control come from. Its origin is diverse and may be due to disappointment, self-esteem and self-acceptance problems, or unfulfilled expectations in the spheres of love or affection. That will be the next case to control your feelings with emotional intelligence.
