Triggered By The Movie Cake But It Has Me Thinking

[falling_wave]

Hi everyone, I felt like I should write. I'm feeling shake and trying to recenter my breathing. I just watched the 2015 movie cake which was a really well done deep movie but I think it was triggering for me. It was about dealing with someone close who killed themself. She doesn't deal with it in the normal stereotypical ways but it shows all the very real emotions that come up and even has her visions of killing herself in various ways showed. It also goes into how she reasons and gets through those feelings and by the end she is on the road to healing. She is also coping with the death of her young son which happened before the movie. It brought up so many memories of stuff that has happened in my life and also shows the struggle and the thoughts I always try to hide. I'm not sure if this has been a good thing or a bad thing because I feel sadness and anxiety but some past stuff has kind of clicked together and I feel like it might be an insight I can go deeper with in therapy. Has anyone ever felt that triggers could be part of healing? Does this even make sense?

 

[Deleted member 20280]

Yes it makes perfect sense to feel a sense of empathy with the main character. I have not seen the micie myself but I am sure I would feel the same.

Sending :hug:s if you accept them.

Laurie

 

[Tinyflame]

I think anything that helps make sense of stuff is helpful, & especially if it brings understanding & peace. I think sometimes a vehicle like that helps a lot (it's kind of a side-door approach to allowing the feelings & thoughts to come up).

I haven't seen the movie (though 'cake' would get my attention! :) )

In all seriousness though, though I don't know if I'd watch that, I've thought about those kinds of questions, or similar kinds especially related too to SI a lot lately. It's hard to imagine anyone being at all bothered by my own death. But, I've experienced or heard of 6 deaths in the last 4 days, not sure of the words but just what I've seen, felt & heard makes me wonder about after the fact, though of course I am a different person than the people who have passed away recently (different connections, or lack there of, different age, different reputation or lack of influence or import or specific role, etc).

I'm glad it was helpful. Hugs to you.

 

[gniyalsmi]

Yes. I think being triggered by movies has been helpful to me at least 95% of the time. I specifically CHOSE to watch movies that would remind me of certain traumas because they VALIDATE my experience. There was even a phase in which I watched probably 4 movies per week that helped me accept having survived a narcissitsic boyfriend, abusive parents, abusive enmeshed sibling, and more specifically there are so many movies portraying "everyday" psychopaths who are politicians, bankers, lawyers, people who look good on paper but are horrible parents and spouses --- All of that really helped me come to terms with my childhood. It also helped me cope with going 100% no-contact, reminding myself how profoundly screwed up these types are. These movies made me feel less alone. I also went through a phase of watching movies about very intimate, vulnerable, honest relationships, where people held nothing back, and those movies helped me understand what love really is, since it clearly didn't exist in my childhood home. There are very few "popular" movies that portray love realistically, but the ones that do leave a beauty mark on your soul.

 

[jaccat]

Yes I think I do that. Sometimes the movies can be totally random- I was triggered by the movie Spider-Man when I watched it in the cinema! In my case I felt very zoned out for about half an hour, didn't want to talk, and felt fragile. But I felt like something in the film had connected with something in me, even if I didn't know what that was. I had it even stronger when I went to the theatre and watched the musical Matilda too, though I know exactly what I connected to in that. It left me totally drained, my friend was quite worried about me afterwards.

Sometimes at home if I'm struggling with something that I can't express I will intentionally watch a movie or read a book in order to connect with something. I did it the other night with the film Shutter Island.

 

[IrisL]

Wow - I do that too, but I woudlnt say trigger... I always trying to hide it as much as possible... I will be still spaced out but quite can cope but highly need to concentrate to be.
I only say trigger which I can't manage and re traumatising and even those ones had to be hidden...
You have a great friends if you can do that and makes them worry - I'm sure they really do care about you.
Sounds stupid, probably ...but I think in a way you get use to it and manage it every time better.because your understanding will be better with it... I try to see the triggers differently - see the good part of it - like when I can let it go, that's a huge relief in a way- and no need for hiding. So I'm trying to appreciate what ever I can around it and forgot in a way I was triggered. Sometimes it's helps.