60 Triggers( trauma reminders) and flashbacks( continued)
TO THE TRAINER
PART II: THE TRAINING
Aim. To understand how trauma memories, trauma reminders or triggers dysregulate survivors.
A survivor may become‘ dysregulated’. This means that she may enter a state of hyper( over)- arousal or hypo( under)-arousal. In other words, she may either have very strong reactions and overwhelming emotions, or experience withdrawal and numbness. Both states cause her to feel confusion and distress. She may also be disoriented by reminders of her trauma. In this situation, helpers can act as external regulators, helping survivors to orient themselves. For instance, a helper can ground the survivor by calling her name, reminding her of where she is, telling her the time, and reassuring her that she is safe. Such actions can help a survivor reorient to the present by using her senses actively.
KEY POINT
The story shows that
• Unexpected situations can suddenly trigger trauma reactions.
• It is possible to prepare against these, by using the senses to feel more present.
As noted, a trigger is an event or situation that resembles a traumatic event and abruptly awakes memories of it. It is like a spark that lights a flame. A small spark can cause overwhelming feelings.
Flashbacks are strong returning memories of past events. They invade and take over the present and force the survivor back in time. She may feel that the past event is happening again. After traumatic events, many people experience flashbacks.( They are often called intrusions or intrusive memories, reflecting the fact that they are sudden and involuntary.)
Flashbacks are triggered by sensations – smells, images, sounds, touch. Senses are gateways that trigger memories. The senses can also be used to enable survivors to manage their triggered memories better. Survivors can be trained to use grounding exercises to cope with flashbacks, using their senses. These exercises work by reconnecting the survivor to the present, to the here and now. Physical cues, such as stones or marbles, can remind her that she is safe.
ROLE PLAY EXERCISE
Role Play 3. Calming a survivor who has been triggered.( 5-10 minutes.)
Ask the participants to form pairs. One plays a helper, the other a survivor. Ask the Helper to practise calming the Survivor. After a few minutes ask them to change roles.
Don’ t forget to make sure that participants brush off their roles when they change over and when they finish.
TEACHING INSTRUCTION. GROUNDING EXERCISES.
Examples of grounding exercises are scattered throughout the training. It is important to practise them again and again, until the skill becomes automatic and can be called on even during moments of distress.