triggering
adj.adj. causing a strong, sudden emotional reaction, especially one that makes you feel upset or anxious. It often refers to things that remind someone of a bad past experience.
adj. causing a sudden, intense emotional or psychological reaction, particularly one that evokes past trauma. Often used as a participial adjective in both clinical and colloquial contexts.
The movie was very triggering for people who have experienced accidents.
The news report included a warning because the graphic images could be triggering for some viewers.
Psychologists suggest that seemingly harmless sensory inputs can be deeply triggering if they are subconsciously linked to a patient's unresolved traumatic memories.
Often follows a linking verb like 'be', 'feel', or 'become'; frequently paired with a prepositional phrase starting with 'for'.