Anxiety triggers

[LJ-user1]

Hi guys,

this is my first post here. I have recently gone of my antidepressants in an attempt to manage my anxiety by myself - whilst seeing a psychologist.

I have been experiencing a lot of “body anxiety” where all these symptoms come on quick rather than thoughts happening.

I had an experience yesterday where someone’s perfume really triggered me and I thought I was going to have a panic attack - it was at work and all I wanted to do was run away but couldn’t.

Does anyone get triggered by certain smells?

I do remember about 6 years ago i was wearing a perfume and had to swap tops with my mum as I went into complete panic - like the world was ending type thing. I had worn this before and it was only really then that it triggered me. I don’t no if smells since then take me back to that moment.

In the last few years I don’t wear perfume or any scents - unless it’s essential oils or a very light sent.

Sometimes certain smells / perfumes don’t even bother me and other times it’s like yesterday!

I really want to somehow get over this because it’s something that is everywhere..

any thoughts ? Or anyone experience the same thing?

[Mina19]

Hello:)

i know what u mean. I’ve gone through something similar on a few occasions. One of them was I went to do some research on a traumatic incident that happened in my family. Like a records office. Don’t want to get into too much detail.. some family research. And half way through I went to use the public bathroom as I was feeling a bit emotional about what I was reading and I washed my hands on the way back and this soap I used that was there had this appley smell to it, didn’t think anything too much at the time but like a few months later I went to a friends house and used their bathroom and they happened to have the same soap as the records office did and I just went into a panick attack. I couldn’t explain it but I started crying and couldn’t catch my breath all because of the soap fragrance. It’s like it bought all my emotions and trauma back. I told my friend I had to go home and used another soap to cover the smell when I got home. Trust me certain smells can bring up things from ages ago stuck in your subconscious. Hope I helped a little. Just find a light natural fragrance if you like and try to avoid really strong smells.

[Fielder]

I really identify with what you say about having strange triggers. I had a traumatic hour or two of a bad trip a few years ago, of being trapped in a time loop of terror, and it gets triggered by some weird stuff - like deja vu and cycle imagery - as well as by stuff whose significance I don't quite recognise. I have had recurring, bad flashbacks from listening to Japanese syllable sounds repeated in a language-learning app, as well as sometimes to recorded audio of people speaking. This is not exactly behind me, so I cannot really say what worked for it, but I can share I am going through (I think) similar things. I guess what I would like to say is that triggers will not always "make sense" To some degree I think it is probably a mistake (though I do it often) to give too much thought to the contents of the trigger, at least while it is affecting you. I hope I am being careful enough and clarifying that this is just my opinion - but I think triggers are like dreams, or more specifically nightmares. They might be very meaningful to interpret afterwards and to learn stuff about yourself, but while they are happening, it is more important to do what you can to recognise that they are not reality. No smell means that something bad is happening or is going to happen. I think it's best to remember to focus on that, though as I said I'm still trying with my version of this.

[Guest_663]

Hi LJ,Mina,+ Feilder.

Read your posts. So interesting. No it's not a mind over matter thing in reference to triggers + scents/smells. It's a genuine medical disorder which needs to be addressed by an professional psychologist/Dr

Most likely a number of reasons why the body reacts to perfumes/smells.

Many folks suffer from a chemical allergy which in turn does Dreadful Things to both the body + brain ,hence a Trigger. .

PTSD brings back unwanted thoughts often caused from past experiences . Having those reoccurring thoughts means that what ever issue you're going through Hasn't Been Dealt With. These thoughts often conflict with those memories leaving you exhausted depleted + with high anxiety levels which in turn can effect the body such as unexplained aches + pains.

Hope this may give you some insight. Professional help is the best way to go

Regards

Mikalah

[Fielder]

Oh dear, I definitely did not mean to imply that overcoming flashbacks was a matter of willpower or character! My response was mainly in regard to how in my experience I often accidentally make things worse in attempting frantically to "fix" things. The corollary, which it would probably have been better to state explicitly, is that professionals ought to be able to help with the analysis and self-care in ways that do not make it worse.

Mikalah, I am curious about what you say with regard to allergies. Is this specifically about smells, or is there a link between strong allergies to stuff like pollen and dust and flashbacks? If the recent rise in both of these for me is related I may have a good lead on what's going on with me...

[Daniella-kid]

Hi this is my first post and I suffer from anxiety I’m trying to access the anxiety foroum but it just won’t let me so if someone could help me that would be great

[Guest_663]

Hi Fielder.

In reference to your questions on Allergies. It applies to Both.

Ad you had mentioned in your post "a good lead of what's going on with me"... all the best as you venture on to recovery

Regards.