Tag: triggers

Grief triggers are reminders that bring sudden intense waves of emotion, including dates (anniversaries, birthdays, holidays), places (locations associated with your loved one), sensory experiences (songs, scents, sights), seasons, activities you once shared, others’ life events (weddings, graduations your loved one will miss), or completely unexpected everyday occurrences. Triggers can arrive years after loss, catching you off guard when you thought you were handling grief well. Identifying common triggers, planning for known difficult dates, practicing grounding techniques for unexpected triggers, and understanding that being triggered doesn’t mean regression helps survivors navigate these painful but normal grief responses.