Have you ever felt the gnawing grip ofanxiety take hold of your stomach? The rapid beat of your heart? The chill that runs up your spine? The intrusive thoughts of “it’s happening again”? Have you ever felt the fear that the challenges of the past are replaying themselves in your present?

A trigger is a potentially deceptive experience. It’s:

-a current event connecting with a past event-an activation of past memories and associated physical sensations -an experience that makes the present look and feel like the past

Maybe the past is repeating itself. Or…maybe it isn’t. 

When I feel triggered, I recognize it immediately. I feel the familiar pit in my stomach and then the memories come back. Have you ever experienced this? 

Thankfully, I have learned to ask myself: 

-is what I’m experiencing a true repeat of the past and, therefore, worthy of this anxious response      OR 

-is the past trying to make its way forward and create the illusion that it – whatever it is – is happening again?

More often than not, it’s the latter. The past is not repeating itself. So, I thank my memories for their efforts to protect me but let them know that it’s not necessary. 

*How aware are you of your triggers?

*When you feel triggered, how do you react?

(photo credit: narconon-colorado)

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