5 Ways to Manage Infidelity Triggers
As you try to recover from the pain of an affair, knowing how to manage infidelity triggers is essential. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed with stress, hurt feelings, anger, frustration, and even anxiety. However, those triggers don’t have to last forever.
While infidelity is something you may never forget, it’s something you can move past whether you stay in your current relationship or not. Don’t let an infidelity take over your life and define who you are.
Let’s cover five ways you can use to manage infidelity triggers and find some peace and comfort as you move forward.
1. Discuss Your Triggers
One of the best ways to manage infidelity triggers is to discuss them with your partner. It’s not going to be an easy conversation. But, if you’re trying to repair and rebuild your relationship, it’s important that you’re both on the same page.
When your partner knows your triggers, they will be more conscious about what to say and do around you. That doesn’t mean either of you should be walking on eggshells. Rather, it’s a sign of respect that they’re willing to understand what triggers you and do what they can do to eliminate those things from your environment.
2. Understand Your Emotions
To know what your triggers really are, you have to develop a deep understanding of your emotions. How do you feel when you’re triggered by something? How does your body respond? What is your mind telling you? The more in-tune you are with your emotions (rather than trying to ignore them), you’ll feel more in control. If you’re having trouble identifying your emotions or you’re numbing yourself to your feelings, it might be helpful to work with an individual therapist to help you manage your emotions.
3. Commit to Growth
The problem with infidelity triggers is that they bring feelings of pain and betrayal to the surface. If you want to move past them in your relationship, you have to choose to become the master of your thoughts. You might not be able to stop triggers or how they make you feel, but you can decide how to respond.
Be persistent in your desire to grow. Write down your feelings in a journal. Lean on a support system. Talk to your partner. As long as you commit to responding in healthy and effective ways, you’ll be on the right track.
4. Communicate More Often
If you’re staying in your relationship, understand that your communication efforts will be different than before the infidelity. Maybe you had poor communication before, or maybe you thought it was okay. Whatever the case, your communication efforts need to be more transparent and stronger than ever. No matter what you’re feeling, talk to your partner about it. It will take some time to want to be vulnerable again. But, it’s a fantastic way to heal, rebuild trust, and get to know everything you both are feeling.
5. Get Professional Help
You don’t have to learn how to manage triggers on your own. Whether you’re overwhelmed with grief or don’t feel like you can handle the daily triggers and what they’re doing to your well-being, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.
Attending couples therapy is a great way to rebuild your relationship from the ground up. You’ll get to the bottom of any lingering issues in your relationship and may even learn what contributed to the infidelity to occur in the first place. However, you might also benefit from one-on-one therapy to help you identify and work through your triggers.
If you’re trying to deal with the impact of infidelity, don’t feel like you have to do it on your own.
Chanderbhan Psychological Services
About: Chanderbhan Psychological Services is a therapy practice located in Laredo, Texas. We help individuals and couples who are struggling in different areas of their lives gain the clarity they need to grow and change. We also offer telehealth to individuals located in the wider State of Texas. To read blogs on mental health and relationships, visit our website.
