Triggers Not Related To Trauma

[Be Braver]

I don't know if this is just me but I find some of my really big triggers aren't even related to my trauma. For example my fear of the dark that literally instigates my fight or flight mode. Of certain scenes of movies with kidnappings. My trauma is from childhood sexual assault and attempted kidnapping. But it wasn't actually successful, and it happened in broad daylight. Does anyone else have triggers not related to their trauma?

 

[sun seeker]

For example my fear of the dark that literally instigates my fight or flight mode. Of certain scenes of movies with kidnappings.

I don't know, but one thought is that these are not actual triggers but hypervigilance. Does that seem like it could fit?

 

[reallydown]

I think I know what you mean. The kinds of things that are maybe remotely related to the trauma or maybe even not related but still trigger some kind of response that takes you back to the trauma? I actually had one recently...I was in a building, going down a stairwell...and it didn't actually trigger me right then and there but later and it showed up in a nightmare. There was an element to the trauma that involved going down stairs etc. but it, in and of itself, is obviously different...and yet...related...I feel like I'm going in circles but I hope I got what you mean...

 

[Be Braver]

@reallydown yeah thats pretty much what I mean this is so tricky because it makes it hard to identify my triggers sometimes!