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How do you deal with triggers?

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Cool Cat

MyPTSD Pro
To put a bit of context i would have 'c-' trauma rather than one particular event.

I don't get triggered that often but sometimes when I do, I feel terrified, panicked and almost afraid I'm going to get emotional.

Today for instance, I was in an office type place, no one in my room, I was on Twitter and someone had RT'ed an image of self harm wounds. It really distressed me as I'm only 6 weeks after quitting.

What works for you?
 
Similar thing happened to me today yet it was writing about self-injury, not seeing the images. I gave myself a little time out so I could calm down. I did a bit of self talk and a bit of distraction to get my mind on something else. Lately when I've been triggered, I get bad stomach pains, so I really do need to put my mind at ease in order for the pain to go away.
 
My go to is distraction that is also calming and self soothing. If it's at work, and not too intense, taking ten minutes to walk and buy a coffee can help me. Buying coffee helps bring me back into the present and my adult self.
 
Do triggers get better with time/treatment? Will try these tips thanks so much guys! :)
I think they have gotten better though, if I saw that image two months ago I would of probably SH'ed
 
Triggers become manageable the more you make friends with them and are able to internalize some kind of superhuman strength to rise above them - to some degree - some are more manageable than others. But - one does need help. It's almost impossible to do this kind of rising above/internalizing on one's own without - either medication, herbal supplement, homeopathy, breathing, vocalizing (talking, praying, chanting, screaming it out, crying), movement, music etc. Which modality to choose really depends on the trigger and the persona involved. You don't want to add fire to fire and you don't want to just randomly punch out. So best to become knowledgeable - that's huge. To understand the mechanisms of the psyche when a repeat due to trauma occurs - to breathe through it - to find that inner strength and to hold on. Keeping it together and riding it through in as much safety as possible. If your triggers are sensory - smell, sight, aural - you might want to invest in good earplugs, sunglasses and essential oils - for example. Have an arsenal of healing tools with you and around you.
 
For smaller triggers I usually need a little private, quiet time to process it. For larger ones, it can take months. During that time I just push through to get done whatever I need to, and spend the rest of the time letting my reaction run its course. That seems to work best for me, through trail and error over many years. Distraction only works for some things and self-soothing only goes so far. I have to have time and space to let it play out.
 
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