Are you being activated or triggered? #mentalhealthawareness
In this brief mental‑health awareness clip, licensed clinical social worker Shari B. Kaplan explains the difference between being “triggered” and being “activated.” She defines “triggered” as a situation where another person holds power over you and does something that causes a reaction. “Activated,” by contrast, occurs when an external comment or action awakens a pre‑existing negative self‑belief (e.g., feeling powerless, not good enough, unwanted) that may stem from past experiences, even if the person is not consciously aware of it. Kaplan emphasizes that because the power to change the belief resides with the individual, one can learn skills and tools to restructure those beliefs, build new neural pathways, and reduce future activation. She concludes by inviting viewers to DM her for more information on how to “refire and rewire” these negative beliefs.
