SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — If you’re on social media at all, you’ve likely seen the term trigger.

There are trigger warnings on sensitive posts and it’s also become a phrase that people with opposing political views use to make fun of each other.

However, triggers are very real, and no laughing matter.

Memorial Health’s Manager of Behavioral Health, Mary Jo Horton, says triggers are something that dysregulates your mood, thoughts or behavior. She said a trigger can be any person, situation, location, or memory, and your reaction to it can be heightened with lack of sleep or stress.

Horton said triggers are actually OK but the key is to know what yours are and be aware of them when they pop up. She said to develop tools to regulate yourself so the triggers don’t derail your day or even your life.

For more information on triggers and how to cope with them, watch the interview in the video player above.