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Triggers that down you. Triggers that lift you

white knight
Community Champion
Community Champion

How often have we felt those triggers snap us into depression? Down we go. A workplace bully only has to smirk at us. A bit of sad news. A red letter from a bill we've missed. A piece of gossip about us that reaches our ears. For many of us our trigger is unavoidable and I don't think there is much we guilt ridden over sensitive types can do about it. There are some things that medication cant control and psychiatrist session cant solve except a mental bandaid that might make us feel better until the next trigger. So if triggers that cause our emotional drop cant be stopped or lessened what can we do about them? Is there a counter measure? If the negative trigger is on one side of a weighing scale what can we put on the other side to at least try to give a balance?

Well in my view its not unlike positive motivation but in a different sense. What I've tried to do, and in most cases succeeded, is to lock onto quotes. My daughter has anxiety and it peaked last year. She attended a psychologist for one session only, she believed she would need many sessions and extended visits. after her session she rang me and told me she wouldn't be attending anymore. She said that the professional told her that her reactions about elements of her childhood were typical reactions for a child in her circumstance. That at 12yo to leave her mothers home and live with her father (me) and for her mother to disown her for such a move was bound to create many mixed and hurtful feelings. She told me she felt that his comment triggered her in a way that she found the answer to the whole problem. "I'm right now dad" she said.

Similar things have occurred to me over the decades. Once I fought corruption on a small scale at a local council. I was one of their employees. It confused me. I asked my doctor why the mayor acted the way he has, grandstanding and manipulating the facts - "power Tony, its a lust for power". That was the positive trigger I needed. There was no other need to delve into the smaller details. "Power" covered it all.

Reading through some of the threads here has found many more. Posters quote other posters because they "hit the nail on the head" as they say.

Can you, the one that falls mentally down the well of despair, use positive quotes, phrases from others to build a stairway back up?

We have a "quotes" thread here to. Ones that I have found so helpful from the likes of Churchill, Ghandi and so on

Try to focus on these. It might help.

Tony WK

84 Replies 84

hi Quirky - i really relate to that. I don't get the small ouch sometimes until it was too late.
Do you feel you learn over time to be more mindful of avoiding triggering stuff?
It's a process for me for sure.

Hi Sleepy

I tried Google but couldn't find professor Gray. It was a seminar in Sydney around 2001 sponsored by Colgate.

In the circumstance Quirky, I don't think it's inappropriate to spend a good deal of our lives avoiding things/people that trigger. Its a way to be gentle.

TonyWK

Thanks Tony for your support and Sleepy for your comment.

I personally don't have any triggers that lift me, I get very triggered with certain things. I'm confused how triggers can lift someone, I mean this in a nice way, just not sure?

Mb

I am confused too. I can not think of a trigger that lifts you up.

I would not call something that does that a trigger. I would call it an inspiration or an encouragement.

I thought the definition a trigger is something that causes bad feeling and stresses and upsets, I am possibly wrong but that’s what I thought a trigger is.

I completely agree. And you can call me Tayla, thats my name and what I usually sign off with if I remember 🙂

Guest_1643
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Although there aren't really positive triggers, thinking about it, I can understand that concept - it would not be called a trigger - but there are circumstances/places/people/things which can create the same feeling of calm and happiness in the way that a negative trigger can immediately create stress or bad memories.

For me a good trigger would be, looking up at the trees, which makes me feel safe straight away

Also when you are triggered, you can do ccertain things to calm and centre and ground - which I guess are not good triggers, but are opposite and antithical to the idea of a trigger.

I learnt an amazing grounding excercise from trauma specialist Peter Levine yesterday - where you your right hand under your arm, beside your heart, and your left hand on your shoulder. You feel where the arms are touching, then you feel your body and become aware of it, as it is held in by your arms. It feels safe. I do that when triggered.

Hi Quirky and Tayla

To quote my first post re: triggers that lift you

"Similar things have occurred to me over the decades. Once I fought corruption on a small scale at a local council. I was one of their employees. It confused me. I asked my doctor why the mayor acted the way he has, grandstanding and manipulating the facts - "power Tony, its a lust for power". That was the positive trigger I needed. There was no other need to delve into the smaller details. "Power" covered it all.

Reading through some of the threads here has found many more. Posters quote other posters because they "hit the nail on the head" as they say.

Can you, the one that falls mentally down the well of despair, use positive quotes, phrases from others to build a stairway back up?

We have a "quotes" thread here to. Ones that I have found so helpful from the likes of Churchill, Ghandi and so on.."

You are both correct that they aren't trigger per say in the common theme. I've associated revelations in particular a word or a quote that is a positive answer to a problem we can't find an answer to.

In effect reversing a negative trigger.

TonyWK

Hi tony, similar to you I get very triggered by encountered narcissistic people.
I am really glad your doctor provided a simple answer that was truthful and gave insight into corruption. I think being believed is for me, a powerful postive assistance.

Tony,

thanks for your explanation. I just find anything sets me off at the moment but I am learning to go with it have a cry then get busy with my day.

Thanks for your stories which are educational.