[zooropa]

just FYI, I'm talking about triggers in here, but not specifics. Just triggers in general.

I've found myself being triggered a LOT in the past week or 2. I've been thinking about it and wondered what you guys would have to say.

For example, I was hugely triggered by the subject matter one person chose in my speech class. I sat there just numb from about the waist down, hands shaking, struggling to breathe.

I was triggered yesterday but something random on the internet. I was triggered this morning by something my younger son said to me.

So, I'm wondering. What is causing this? That is, I guess, how I approach problems in my life. Figure out what's making it happen so I can stop it. I doubt this is the approach my T would recommend, I have a feeling that she would encourage me to not worry about why it's happening or when it will stop, but to just feel it and let it go.

But, really. Do you sometimes find yourself more easily triggered than other times?

I certainly was triggered a lot when I was doing the heavy duty trauma processing. I'm not doing that now, though, and what is weird is I kind of miss it. I feel a lot of sadness when I think that I only had that one opportunity to tell my story, and now it is over and probably I will never again tell with that attention to detail. I'm not sure just going through it once was enough, but I digress.

It's not therapy that's triggering me. Is it because my level of stress is so high? Is it an indicator that my overall mental health is failing?

I would guess the problem is that you are so stressed right now. I don't know about you, but when I am under a lot of stress, my coping skills go out the window unless I make a concerted effort to use them.

I don't know if I'd say your overall mental health is "failing", but it certainly is being challenged right now. Do what is necessary to keep things from spiralling out of control. Talk to your t, find time for YOU, take care of YOU. Don't let yourself get lost in the chaos of your life.

[inbloom]

Hi Zooropa!

Obviously, I can only speak on behalf of my own experiences, but for me, there is not just one consistent reason why I may get triggered more often versus not.

I have noticed that I get triggered a lot when I am doing trauma work, BUT, I have also noticed that it happens other times as well. Sometimes, I wonder if NOT doing the trauma work (when it needs to be done, of course), is worse because unconscious things seems to be sparked and shifted, and I have a hard time really identifying what they are or why they are there. Usually, when this happens, I start to think that maybe it would help to go to a deeper (often darker) place in therapy so as to identify and work through all of the unclear emotions and events that may be responding automatically to triggers. Does this make sense? I am sort of trying to sort it out as I write.

I also find that I am triggered more when I am not finding the time to take care of myself, be alone, process, think, exercise, eat right, sleep right etc... I think that lack of self-care really breaks down my defenses.

I hope that some of this helps. I am also in a place of really feeling triggered A LOT lately, so, thinking about this is helpful for me too.

[BlessedRhiannon]

Like inbloom, I can only speak for myself, but here's my take on it...for what it's worth.

I've found that when I'm working on specific things in therapy, I'm more easily triggered. My emotions are already raw, the issues are already in the forefront of my mind, so it's just easier for things to trigger those thoughts or emotions. But, I've also found that if I am working on something in therapy, it's easier for me to work through those triggers and not react in unhealthy ways.

When I'm already stressed or anxious, or have some other event going on in my life (like a difficult anniversary), I'm also more easily triggered and it's harder to deal with that reaction. February is a difficult month for me, and it felt like even the tiniest thing was triggering...I accept that is going to happen...doesn't make me happy, but I'm learning to deal with it.

Personally, I don't consider being easily triggered a sign of failing mental health. I think, it's a signal that something else is going on...anxiety, some specific thing you're worried about but not addressing, an upcoming, uncomfortable date, etc. I think the fact that you are aware you are being triggered and trying to work through those feelings is a good thing.

[Suratji]

It's interesting that your therapist would not recommend trying to figure out why it's happening. ".to just feel it and let it go." hmmm - For me, I'm wildly interested in why things trigger me. With my T we are delving into my past and slowly some experiences I had are presenting themselves to my consciousness and they help me understand why I react the way I do. From my understanding, our experiences are saved in our bodies and our bodies will respond when something looks like an experience from the past, even or especially when we don't remember it.

So, my work with my T is to uncover some things from childhood to better understand my distortions about those things that are triggers.

I think for me, there is a balance between "feeling it and letting it go" and finding out where the trigger is coming from.

Sometimes it's not a good time to deal with being triggered. When I'm busy with my kids, or spending time with friends, or at the store, or whatever. That's when I need to figure out how to use the skills I've learned from T...mindfulness, getting involved in what's around me, stepping outside and "making myself bigger" to contain the feeling...to try to move on. I promise myself I can come back to it later. Sometimes I might write a little something down.

Other times - when I'm meditating and have some alone time, or when I'm with T, or after my kids go to bed - I have more time and I can look at it a little more closely. If it's too scary, I try to wait until I'm with T, but that doesn't always work. I will often E-mail T and tell him about it, and that helps A LOT - because I know he is holding it for me, and we can deal with it in session.

I get way way way way more triggered when i am not getting enough sleep. Lately, I am chronically sleep-deprived, and I know that it won't be long until I spiral down into a bad place, so I decided earlier today that I am going to make a concerted effort to sleep 8 hours a night for a little while, no matter what. I have horrible self-discipline around sleep, and I always, always end up paying for it.

Not having any down time for myself is another thing that makes it harder to deal with triggers. sometimes it just feels unavoidable - I have these three boys around 24/7 who need me, I have friends and and H and a mom who need me, I'm just stupidly busy. So, that's a hard one. Just the routine of seeing T is good down time for me, actually.

I'm sorry you're feeling triggered a lot. I guess the other thing that triggers me a lot is old stuff pushing at me that I'm trying to avoid. Ack.

Lots of ((((((((hugs))))))))) to you. I've missed "seeing" you here

[purple_fins]

Seems to me that if you are aware that you have been triggered, then that shows you still have some good insight(IMO).

I have times, especially in my way past, when I would be triggered and "zone" out but not have a clue as to what was going on.... that I was just triggered.. what it was that triggered me or what.......

I think that even the fact that one realizes they have been triggered is a step in the right direction. (at least that's how I feel anyway)

I hope you can get some understanding about the various triggers.

wishing you some inner peace,
fins

[Perna]

For me, I face the trigger and dive into it! It's like a nightmare, you have to face the monster chasing you or it will keep chasing you. I get "clinically" LOL interested in whatever the trigger is and that I reacted that way to it, as if I'm someone else and put it under my other person microscope and find what exactly is the problem, what it reminds me of or "means" to me, etc. Being triggered and avoiding it by just hoping it will go away doesn't "help" me so I get ruthless with myself and look to see what is really going on and what I'm trying to tell myself with the trigger. Only then can I "fix" whatever the problem is. You have to know what the problem is completely before you can set it straight.

[elliemay]

Originally Posted by purple_fins

Seems to me that if you are aware that you have been triggered, then that shows you still have some good insight(IMO).

I have times, especially in my way past, when I would be triggered and "zone" out but not have a clue as to what was going on.... that I was just triggered.. what it was that triggered me or what.......

I think that even the fact that one realizes they have been triggered is a step in the right direction. (at least that's how I feel anyway)

I hope you can get some understanding about the various triggers.

wishing you some inner peace,
fins

That is EXACTLY what happens to me sometimes. It's like I just shutdown then BAM later on I may or may not be able to identify it.

Personally, I think our bodies have memories that our minds do not. I know that sounds crazy, but I think certainly smells, or certain sounds trigger something in me.

Most of the time I can never identify the exact trigger, but definately the emotion that comes along with it. well, after I "wake up" from shut down mode.

Scary.

[zooropa]

Originally Posted by BlessedRhiannon

When I'm already stressed or anxious, or have some other event going on in my life (like a difficult anniversary), I'm also more easily triggered and it's harder to deal with that reaction. February is a difficult month for me, and it felt like even the tiniest thing was triggering...I accept that is going to happen...doesn't make me happy, but I'm learning to deal with it.

Personally, I don't consider being easily triggered a sign of failing mental health. I think, it's a signal that something else is going on...anxiety, some specific thing you're worried about but not addressing, an upcoming, uncomfortable date, etc. I think the fact that you are aware you are being triggered and trying to work through those feelings is a good thing.

oh, wow. I feel a huge DUH! right now, because this is at least a very large part of what's going on with me. I'm sure it is, because March is historically a very bad month for me. Very bad. It's my birthday month, and I think that has a lot to do with it. Just a lot of bad times in my life have been in the month of March.

thanks, everyone, for your replies. There is so much wisdom here.

[Sannah]

I worked through a lot of triggers. I think of it as my nervous system has formed a certain way because of my experiences and this is why it reacts. I could never trace my triggers down to anything specific because my past was neglect without traumas. It was just constant, low grade neglect.

What I did was when I was triggered, this was when I did the work. This is the time to do the rewiring, while you are stimulated. What I did was focus in that triggered moment, telling myself that the past is what is making me triggered right now and that the past is gone. I would then focus on the moment and identify what triggered up the past but then tell myself that this moment is different and I am safe. Each trigger would take several times to completely extinguish it. Each time I got triggered less and less.

It also helped that I had been doing relaxation exercises and I got to the point where I could command myself to relax. Relaxing while you are being triggered sort of does the rewiring I think. You are associating relaxation with the present trigger instead of associating the upsetting past with the present trigger.

Now, if you have a trauma that is being triggered up, I would think that it needs to be revisited in therapy, where you can discuss it again and release the emotions around it in therapy.