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4.4.3 Trauma triggers
Our nervous system associates stimuli that occur in the same place or at the same time . We link a certain jumper with the smell of wool ; a car journey with a certain tune , etc . This power of association can cause children who have been abused sexually to associate non-dangerous situations and objects with invasive events they have experienced . Trauma triggers recall a pain that has happened ; they bring to mind an experience of being abandoned , let down , hurt , or humiliated . Triggers can be inner experiences such as emotions or thoughts ; physical and sensory experiences ( sounds , smells , colours ); objects ( an ornament , a place ); or events ( holidays , dusk ), etc . They can also be relational : for example , intimacy or eye contact . Many triggers are subtle and difficult to recognise .
Try mapping the child ’ s triggers . This can help you to understand the child better , and may help the child to understand its own reactions . List together what seem to be the child ’ s triggers . Explain to the child that the brain makes all kinds of associations between stimuli that appear at the same time . If the abuse happened at night in a bedroom , there can be many potential triggers . For example : bedtime , bed , dusk , being alone , lamps , toys , books , tiredness . All these can remind the child that going to bed is a moment of potential threat . It is important to enable the child to regain a sense of safety by removing or countering some triggers . For example , you can remove certain objects from the room ; or help the child to calm down by playing music , being close , offering new safe objects and toys , and checking the room together .
HELP AND ACTION
For children who are or have been abused , typical triggers include :
• New or challenging situations or environments .
• Intimacy .
• Lack of control .
• Limit setting and praise .
• Eye contact .
• Physical contact .
Role-play . Managing trauma triggers
ROLE PLAY EXERCISE
Aim . To practise talking about trauma-triggers . Duration . 10 minutes . Instructions :
• Work in pairs . One is the child , the other a helper .
• Try to explain to a child what a trauma trigger is .
• “ Triggers are things that remind you about bad and scary events that happened to you . They make you feel that event is happening all over again . You feel caught in the past , not where you are here and now . If what happened occurred at night , going to bed , or getting tired can be a trigger . If the person that abused you used a perfume , this smell can awaken feelings associated with what happened , like disgust , fear , and shame . These are real feelings , but now the abuse has stopped and is no longer happening , so when you are triggered you need to find your way back to what is real , here and now .”
• After explaining , talk to the child about ways to “ get back to here and now ” using SOS .