Manage Negative Emotional Triggers

In this exercise, you will:

  • Select three of your triggers that you identified in the Identify Negative Emotional Triggers activity
  • Learn several strategies to deal effectively with negative emotional triggers
  • Create custom plans to manage each of your three triggers

For your plans, you will select from four strategies to deal effectively your triggers.

use relaxation techniques

The Feeling Better Module offers several relaxation activities.

  • If you know that you will be faced with a particular trigger, you can practice your relaxation technique in advance
  • When in the presence of a trigger, use components of relaxation, such as slow, deep breathing
  • When faced with a trigger, scan your body for tension and let it go
talk to yourself

When you are faced with a trigger, use calm, soothing, reassuring self-talk. Here are some examples of phrases that others have found to be helpful.

  • “I’m doing ok”
  • “I can manage this”
  • “I am in charge of my emotions”
  • “I am going to focus outside of myself and less on my feelings”
  • “There may be some positive things about this situation, such as….”
  • “I can be more calm by using my breathing techniques”
  • “I am uncomfortable now, but the feeling will pass”
  • “I can choose how I feel about this”
  • “I can notice my feelings and let them go”
manage alarming or extreme thoughts

When you notice these kinds of thoughts, acknowledge them and remember that thoughts are not facts, they are just thoughts. You can let them go.  It may be useful to close your eyes and visualize such thoughts simply floating away. You may choose to replace them with neutral or more positive, realistic thoughts.

ask for support

Is there a friend, family member, colleague, or professional who may be helpful to you in dealing better with this situation? Other people can provide emotional support, informational support, practical support.

Create a custom plan to manage three of your own negative emotional triggers.

Practice Relaxation, Manage Negativity, and Increase Positivity

Learning activities

Manage Emotions Through Relaxation

Meditation and relaxation can be valuable tools to gain better control over emotions. Learn to accept your emotions, soothe yourself, and quiet down.

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Identify Negative Emotional Triggers

Negative emotions can make it harder to manage your pain. Learn to to identify the situations, people, experiences, or thoughts that make you feel bad.

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Manage Negative Emotional Triggers

In this activity, you will select three negative emotional triggers. Then you will learn coping strategies and create plans to manage these triggers.

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Identify Positive Emotional Triggers

Having a better emotional life includes not only reducing and managing negative triggers and emotions, but also building positive experiences and emotions. This activity will help you to identify the activities, events, and experiences that lead to positive emotions

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Build Positive Emotional Experiences

Positive emotional experiences can help make managing pain easier and more effective.  After creating a list of your own positive emotional triggers, this activity will help you plan ways to incorporate them into daily life.

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