Triggers and Stressors Worksheet
By
HappierTherapy
Author bio
The Happier Therapy editorial team is made up of Masters and PhD counselling psychologists. Each worksheet is created by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The worksheet then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
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What is the theory behind this Triggers and Stressors Worksheet?
Triggers are specific stimuli directly linked with a traumatic past in the presence of which one is reminded of trauma memories and the associated negative thoughts and feelings. Stressors are stimuli that build up overtime to increase one’s stress and tension and are not related to past trauma. People with mental illness are particularly vulnerable to both triggers and stressors as they threaten to worsen their condition or cause symptoms to resurface.
How will the worksheet help?
This worksheet will help clients understand the difference between a trigger and a stressor and make attempts to identify both in relation to their present condition. It can be particularly helpful for clients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as identifying their triggers and stressors can help in determining how to cope with them and control their reactions through gradual exposure therapy.
How to use the worksheet?
This worksheet is to be used after the difference between a trigger and a stressor has been explained well to the client. Instruct the client to recall past experiences or become more observant of their thoughts and feelings to note down what could be their triggers and stressors.
