If there’s one thing that is a given when it comes to all of us, it’s this: We’re all humans, and as humans, we are all driven by emotion. Because emotions are a big, powerful thing that drives us, we can all be triggered by circumstances or factors. These triggers may not be the same for everyone, as certain items may trigger some or many but not all, but triggers exist for all of us. And there are some which are quite universal.
Emotional triggers can lead to one of two things, especially in relationships: They can either bring about negative feelings and emotions, harm your union, or bring about positive feelings and emotions, strengthening your couplehood.
When in a relationship with someone, you may find that particular things or actions suddenly trigger him. You may suddenly be surprised at a negative outburst he has or suddenly be at the receiving end of a pleasant reaction. As you go about your day-to-day together, you may find that he is sometimes set off about something, seemingly without warning. And then there are the times when he appeared, out of the blue, becomes super sweet and affectionate towards you.
Though these reactions may seem to come out of nowhere, more often than not, they are brought about by emotional triggers. And as someone in a relationship, to better understand and strengthen your union with your man, you need to be aware and conscious of the simple matter that particular words, actions, or even inactions can cause a change in his behavior and how he relates to you.
Emotions are something that should always be handled with care, respect, and love. So it’s essential to try to learn and understand what triggers your man emotionally. Knowing and comprehending what emotional triggers are for men can help maintain a happy, healthy, harmonious relationship. And while yes, triggers can be precise to a person, and there are things that may be triggering for some but not for others, there are also emotional triggers for men that are pretty generally applicable in a relationship.
By truly understanding these fundamental emotional triggers for men, you’ll understand better how his mind and his heart work as well.
What is an emotional trigger?
An emotional trigger is something that can spark feelings or emotions in someone suddenly. Whether it’s something that is said, or done, or not done, these things can cause strong reactions to arise, just like that. Emotional triggers can awaken feelings that are either negative or positive. Though the word “trigger” is more commonly associated with bad or unsavory reactions, the opposite can also be true, and they can also be connected to the best kinds of reactions as well.
5 Secrets That Act As Emotional Triggers For Men
These emotional triggers for men will help you navigate your way into a happier, healthier, stronger relationship with the one you love.
1. A Healthy Sexual Relationship
Having a happy, healthy relationship goes hand in hand with having a very healthy level of intimacy in that relationship. When there is a good sexual relationship between the two of you, that gives way to stronger emotional ties as well. It may sound very basic and primal, but it is true: The sky’s the limit when it comes to what great intimacy and passion can bring to a couple.
Sex is among the most well-known ways that two people in a relationship can connect deeply, and it can birth bigger, deeper, more powerful emotions between you two. Kissing is one of the most beautiful and purest forms of intimacy, and that, along with all the caresses, the gentle touches, the sweet conversations, and the whole act of making love and being intimate with each other — all of that leads to some unbelievably incredible emotional connections being formed and strengthened.
If you seek the best and most effective emotional triggers for men, perhaps one of the most powerful ones is having a healthy sexual relationship. Sex affects a man’s emotional presence, especially when you and he are a couple. Studies have shown time and again that men are more ready and more welcoming of sexual activities and that sexual connection is something that they, in fact, really long for with their partner.
A good way to emotionally trigger a man in a positive way that will most likely turn out to be fun for both of you, too, is to be more present sexually. Let him feel that sex will always be on the table for both of you and that you want to be with him. It will do wonders for his emotional state! A man who feels deprived in that department or feels the relationship is lacking sexually may also become emotionally triggered, but not in a good way. This feeling of emptiness may lead to triggering him to feel lonely and even miserable.
2. Feeling that he has your Undivided Attention
When it comes to emotional triggers for men that would lead to positive, happy, and healthy feelings, another really good way to go about it is by making him feel that he has your attention — your undivided attention. It’s human nature, after all, to want to feel that the attention of the person you care most about is on you, and that they are really focused on you. And even more so when you two are in a relationship.
A man can’t help but form solid feelings for someone when he feels like that person is giving him undivided attention. Making him feel this way triggers him emotionally and makes him feel that you really need him and love him and want to be with him and want to know all about him. And those bring good emotions.
When a man is with someone, among the things that he will observe is whether she is showing him interest or if she seems distracted by so many other things, which will then make it seem like she’s not all that interested in his company. Being detached or unfocused on him will also trigger him emotionally, but in a way that will bring about negative emotions. This behavior will trigger him to feel unwanted and even unloved.
On the other hand, by giving him your undivided attention, he will develop more feelings of love and attachment to you. By being someone who focuses on him and makes him feel like he has your full attention, he will be positively triggered into developing a greater emotional attachment to you.
3. A Toxic Attitude and Harboring a Nagging Personality
Since we’re talking about emotional triggers for men, we have to deal with something that is sure to trigger very, very negative emotions. What we’re referring to here basically has to do with attitude and personality — more specifically, having a toxic attitude and harboring a nagging personality! The simple fact is that these are generally not characteristics that anyone would particularly adore, much less when you find yourself in a relationship with somebody who embodies these traits.
A woman who perpetuates a toxic attitude towards her partner or consistently nags in the relationship will most definitely trigger her man emotionally in the most negative ways. Remember that we all have our stories and our experiences, and our baggage. Perhaps your man had some very bad experiences growing up in a toxic environment. Perhaps he came from a relationship where it was nothing but nag nag nag. Perhaps his parents were very toxic to one another.
Or it may even be that, as a person, he really is just not one to stand for toxicity or unhealthy nagging behaviors. Perhaps those are the very traits he actively avoids in all his relationships. Either because of experiences and baggage that he carries with him or just his personality and what he chooses to surround himself with, having toxic and nagging traits will trigger him and may even drive him to stay away from you.
Nobody is perfect, and we can’t always be a hundred percent sunshine and rainbows, no matter how much we try. After all, we’re only human, and we all have our flaws, and a good, sensible man will know that and accept that and love you fully. What you can do, however, is to try your best to avoid these negative behaviors. Be careful of how you act, and be mindful of when you may be crossing a line. You never know what inner personal demons your man may have been dealing with and what crosses he may have had to bear. You know that a good attitude is always a wonderful thing, and a loving personality will always trigger good emotions in your man.
4. Cheating on your Man
Let’s get this one real truth out there: No one wants to be cheated on. No one likes being cheated on. No one enjoys having someone they care about step out on them. That rings true, universally. And it rings very, very true for men. Men, after all can be very possessive and jealous, especially when it comes to someone they are very emotionally attached to.
It’s human nature to want to keep what is yours, yours. Being in a relationship means that you and your partner are committed to each other. That feeling of commitment and loyalty springs feelings of security and happiness. It triggers positive and healthy emotions and leads to a stronger relationship between the two of you. That goes both ways — for you and for your partner. In as much as you would always want to feel secure in your relationship, your man longs for the same feelings and assurance.
So remember this: The very moment when he starts to feel that you may be forming feelings for someone else, or that you are being intimate with someone else, or even that you are developing an emotional bond with someone else, that moment will trigger him emotionally. And what that will trigger may be anything from distancing himself and turning stone-cold to really and truly exploding out of hurt and feelings of betrayal. You need to know that cheating on someone can and almost certainly will trigger bad behavior because of all the pain that cheating causes. It may trigger so many negative emotions that they may find it hard to manage or control.
On the flip side of the coin, men place a very high value on a loyal and faithful woman. Just as you would always long for faithfulness and loyalty, and commitment in your man, he feels the same towards you. And when he feels that you have eyes for him and only him, that will trigger emotions of the happiest, most positive kind.
5. That Wonderful Exchange of Giving and Receiving
Ah, give and take. That is truly one of the most effective ingredients to a happy, healthy union. And the act of giving and receiving is one that can very much trigger good, loving emotions in both women and men. It’s a way for you to have a healthy and loving exchange in a relationship and to trigger feelings of affection and care between the two of you.
It’s very human to be happy when being gifted with something, particularly if it’s from someone they adore. No matter how simple or trivial the gift, just the fact that you are receiving something from the person you love can trigger much happiness and excitement. Gifting your man with anything that comes from the heart will make him see how thoughtful you are and make him feel cared for. It may be in the form of presents or gifts. It may be in the form of sweet gestures or actions like preparing him breakfast or leaving him a loving note. Being gifted actually affects your emotions and the brain, triggering feelings of affection and love in the act of receiving.
In the same vein, when you show appreciation for what has been gifted to you, that also leads to a healthier and happier relationship. When he gifts you with something, again whether in the form of presents or the form of actions, and you show how much you cherish these things when you receive them, that will also trigger incredible emotions of love and feeling valued.
Digging deeper, the very same formula applies on an emotional level. When there is give and take for patience, understanding, and love in a relationship, that will definitely be a wonderful emotional trigger for him that will blossom into having a stronger connection and a solid, loving relationship. It will bind you to each other and bring you closer together, and strengthen your attraction and love for each other.
Learning these emotional triggers in men is a crucial way of figuring out what makes a man tick. Though sometimes relationships may seem like a giant game of mind reading and guessing, the truth is that it’s all about understanding what drives your partner’s emotions as well as yours. Being aware of these emotional triggers in men will help you to understand your man better and be someone that will be good for him, and will aid in strengthening your connection and lead you to a relationship that is happy, healthy, and full of love.
Hey there, Martha here, a full-time mom of two, currently trying to bring a small impact in everyone’s life whom I can reach through The Queen Momma. I usually write on topics related to parenting, pregnancy and motherhood. Having gone through a few rocky relationships myself, I consider myself somewhat of an “expert” on topics related to dating and relationships.
I formerly worked at Special Needs Network Inc and BrightStar Care of Beverly Hills as a head manager. I have a passion for assisting organizations and individuals in achieving their objectives and have had the opportunity to do so throughout my professional career. At present, writing for The Queen Momma is a great addition to my professional career.