PTSD Triggers
PTSD Triggers

Finding Hope

Amy LaRue and Darcy talk about PTSD and triggers for families affected by addiction, sharing real examples of how trauma shows up in daily life. They outline different types of trauma and offer practical, faith-rooted tools for recognising triggers and seeking healing through support, counselling and self-care.

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35:06•18 May 2026

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PTSD Triggers: When Everyday Moments Bring Addiction Trauma Rushing Back

Episode Overview

PTSD can affect anyone who has experienced trauma, including loved ones of people with addiction, not just those in the military.
Trauma may come from single events, long-term chaos, or secondhand exposure to stories, and small triggers can carry big emotional weight.
Emotional abuse and neglect are as damaging as visible physical trauma, and the body often shows stress through sleep issues, headaches and anxiety.
Healing starts with naming triggers, allowing yourself to feel instead of stuffing emotions, and reaching out for therapy and support groups.
Communicating triggers to loved ones and practising self-care, prayer, journalling and movement can help you respond to triggers in healthier ways.

“You’re not crazy. These triggers are reminders of activated trauma responses – and you don’t have to live like this forever.”

How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober when past trauma keeps barging into the present? This conversation on PTSD triggers shines a light on the often unseen impact addiction has on families, especially those who love someone struggling with substances. Host Amy LaRue sits down with Darcy to talk honestly about how trauma shows up years later in everyday moments.

They share specific examples of triggers that might sound small to others—like a slammed door, a certain worship song, or walking into a shop full of Christmas decorations—but carry a huge emotional punch. As Darcy says, sometimes you just end up sitting in the car park “allowing yourself to cry and feel what’s triggering you” before you can move on.

Amy breaks PTSD down into firsthand trauma (like witnessing an overdose), long-term exposure to chaos, and secondhand trauma picked up from hearing stories over and over again. They stress that PTSD isn’t just for soldiers; “anyone that’s gone through trauma” can experience it, including family members of those with addiction. They also talk about how trauma can be both physical and emotional.

From flashing police lights and overdoses to manipulation, neglect, and cruel words, they remind listeners that “emotional abuse… is just as damaging” as what you can see. The body keeps score, and things like anxiety, headaches, sleepless nights, and racing hearts are all signs something deeper might be going on.

Instead of stuffing feelings down, Amy and Darcy gently push for practical steps: therapy (even if it means sacrificing other expenses), support groups, journalling, prayer, movement, and learning to name and communicate triggers—like Amy telling her husband that just seeing his truck at home can send her back to those chaotic days. If you’ve ever thought, “Why am I reacting like this?

Am I crazy?” this conversation might help you see you’re not alone, you’re not broken, and healing is possible. What’s one trigger you’re ready to name so you can start healing from it?

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