Trigger Worksheets (7+)

This page contains trigger worksheets which, as the name implies, focus on exploring triggers of an individual and devising them strategies to avoid or tackle those triggers.

These triggers could be any kind of triggers that activates certain responses or emotions in people such as anger, anxiety, stress and so on.

Some of these trigger worksheets will be made by us while some will be curated from reputable third party sites, after reviewing related content from several reputable websites.

Trigger Worksheet- Exploring Problem Triggers

Triggers are specific actions/ people/ events/ situations/ things that activate a particular response in an individual.

The key to deal with these triggers is to recognize them first.

Once an individual is aware of his triggers he can adopt various strategies to either avoid itor face it with full preparation.

Objectives: To enable individuals to recognize their triggers.

Instructions: Enlist the triggers you come across in your daily life.

Also specify what emotion or response do these triggers activate in you.

For example a trigger, evil smile could make an individual angry.

Trigger Worksheet- Investigating My Triggers

There is a reason why your trigger triggers you.

The detailed investigation of your triggers allow you to find the root cause of the problem and solve it by adopting various coping skills to elicit the uncomfortable feeling experienced due to these triggers.

Objectives: To enable individuals to tackle their triggers by resolving the root cause of issue.

 Instructions: Complete the table below.

Trigger	Why it triggers me	How do I tackle this trigger?

Trigger Worksheet- Dealing with Triggers

Triggers not only activate certain emotions and lead to particular responses in individuals but they also create a feeling of discomfort in individuals.

Thus the management of each kind of trigger is necessary to prevent this distressing feeling.

Objective: To train individuals to adopt healthy coping skills.

Instructions: For each kind of triggers mentioned below, brainstorm and write things you could do to deal with those triggers.

Trigger Worksheet- Visualizing Experience of Triggers 

Visualizing the triggers can help prepare an individual to bravely encounter and tackle his triggers.

Regardless of what kind of trigger they are, an individual can think as well as practice ways to manage his uncomfortable feeling before experiencing these triggers in real life.

This practice would prepare an individual for real life experiences.

Objectives: To prepare individuals to face triggering events before real life experiences.

Instructions: For each of the following situations, write down what coping strategy would you use to tackle the triggers.

Situation	Coping Strategy
Your teacher announces a surprise test and you have only 15 minutes to revise for the test (anxiety triggered).
You are left with only $30 from your pocket money and you need to buy something worth $40 urgently (stress triggered).
Your younger sibling dropped your favourite accessory from the window (anger triggered).
You ran out of petrol and you are already getting late for an event (anger triggered).
All of your friends are absent from school and you are sitting alone (loneliness triggered).

Trigger Worksheet- Acquiring Positive Approach  

Being positive in every situation increases the likelihood of taking things with ease and ensuring proper resolution of every problem.

A positive approach towards life enables an individual to think optimistically in every kind of situation.

This not only helps resolve daily issues but also makes an individual immune to certain discomforting events such as his triggers.

Objectives: To enable an individual to think positively.

Instructions: Enlist the situations that trigger discomforting emotion in you such as anxiety, stress, anger etcetera.

Then think of a positive aspect of every situation and mention how thinking positively can alter your response to those triggers. 

Trigger Worksheet- Anxiety Triggers 

Different situations/events/things or even people, trigger different emotions.

The cause, feeling and emotion behind every trigger is different and it leads to a different kind of response every time.

For example getting late for school may cause anxiety, the individual would feel his heart pounding and might start crying.

This worksheet  gives a list of anxiety triggers. For each anxiety trigger, you have to rate the intensity of anxiety caused by them.

This activity would help you identify your greatest anxiety triggers and will give you an opportunity for being prepared for each of them by learning distraction or coping skills.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Calm      Little anxious Anxious Extremely anxious

Conflict or drama in relationships
Not feeling prepared
Being in large crowd of people
Being in tight spaces like elevator
Meeting new people
Being in wide open spaces
Going to a new place for the first time
Being around certain people
Having to confront someone
Interacting with someone i have crush on
Interacting on social media
Not knowing what is going to happen
Having too much to do
Not having enough money
Giving a presentation in front of the class
Not knowing what career i want to have
Working as a part of a group
School violence
Pressure to act or behave a certain way
Family stress (divorce, finances etc)
Performing in front of other people
A sick friend or family member
Things not going the way i planned
Rumors about me spreading in school
Having to change up my routine
My job, boss or co-workers
Grades or stress from schoolwork
Other people’s expectations of me
Having too much time by myself
Thinking about college
Being away from my phone for too long
Having to be the one to make decisions
Friends not texting me back
Making new friends
Loud noises or raised voices
Changes in my body or my weight
Other people being disappointed in me
Interacting with a certain family member
Watching the news
Feeling left out by my peer group
Having conversations with peers or adults
Becoming an adult with more responsibilities

Trigger Worksheet- Trigger Record

There could be various reasons why some things or situations trigger an individual.

He could have gone through a traumatic event in his earlier life or may have a related genetic history or it could be a learned behavior. 

This worksheet aids in keeping a record of triggering events, the feelings associated with that event and its relevance with the traumatic event.  

For each uncomfortable experience, write down the date, trigger, your feelings, body sensations, your actions, the relevance of that experience with the original trauma and the difficulty you faced while handling that specific event.     

Date, what was your trigger	What were your feelings?	How did your body react?	What did you do?	How was the trigger situation different from the original trauma?	How difficult was the trigger to handle?
(Write the date and describe the situation)	(Use the emotions glossary if you need help)	(List any body sensations)	(Describe your behavior)	(List any differences you noticed)	(1= not at all to 10= extremely)

Trigger Worksheet- Dealing with Triggers

Triggers are specific events, people, situations or things that trigger a certain emotion in individuals.

Different strategies and skills can be used to deal with these triggers. Some of these strategies include distracting oneself by indulging in any work like painting or listening to music, by communicating the issue with family or a friend, by facing the trigger bravely and so forth.

In the tables given below, mention some of your triggers and then suggest yourself ways you would deal with that trigger.

Trigger	Strategy

Trigger Worksheet- Coping Skills Tracker

Keeping a track of your behavior can help explore which coping strategy works best for you and which one is not.

The effectiveness of a strategy also depends on our willingness to use that strategy efficiently.

The following worksheet helps keep and track of coping skills which one thinks can help him while facing his triggers.

This worksheet is specifically for anxiety triggers and not only enables an individual to brainstorm different coping skills but also helps him acknowledge the effectiveness of each coping skill.

Triggers worksheet- trigger tracker

Triggers are an uncomfortable feeling experienced by people when they encounter specific things, people or situations.

These triggers welcome negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, stress and so forth. Various strategies and skills can be used to cope with triggers. 

Objectives: to enable an individual to use coping skills and strategies to deal with triggers.

Instructions: For each kind of trigger, mention a coping strategy you will use to deal with them.

Mention the effectiveness of the coping strategy when everytime you experience a certain trigger.

Trigger _________________________ Coping Strategy _________________________

Effectiveness-Exposure	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1st encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2nd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3rd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Trigger _________________________ Coping Strategy _________________________

Effectiveness-Exposure	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1st encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2nd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3rd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Trigger _________________________ Coping Strategy _________________________

Effectiveness-Exposure	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1st encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2nd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3rd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Trigger _________________________ Coping Strategy _________________________

Effectiveness-Exposure	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1st encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
2nd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
3rd encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
4th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
5th encounter	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Some of these worksheets mentioned on this page are made by ourselves, while others have been curated from reputable third party sites. 

The trigger worksheets are a helpful source for recognizing your triggers and tackling them with a healthy, positive approach.

Different strategies and coping skills can be used for dealing with different types of triggers.

Furthermore, keeping a track of effectiveness of strategy can also assist in deciding which coping strategy is the best for managing uncomfortable feelings caused by specific triggers.

Let us know if you have any queries about these worksheets. We will be glad to help you out.  

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