What Has Been Your Weirdest Trigger?

[Youngmom]

whenever i'm walking up the stairs i feel like someone is behind me. chasing me. which is weird because stairs have nothing to do with my PTSD.

 

[cat]

MY weirdest trigger is a slow cooker, every time i got it out of the cupboard or touched it would trigger me. I also have a meat phobia, my T feels there is a link between the two. I've got rid of the cooker now, I'm working on my meat phobia & can now eat bacon.

Another one was my feet - for 3 years I was unable to have my feet uncovered & wore trainers during the day & socks at night. This was part of my fight or flight response, I had to be ready to run at any moment.

With my T's support I've used exposure therapy to work my way through these triggers. It's hard but the more you work at it the easier it gets.

As for anyone arguing especially couples it sends me right back to my memories.

 

[drgnfl2078]

not sure if this counts or not but when people really accept me and love me for me (despite my crazy) it tweaks me out. I don't know how else to express it.

being too quiet...when I'm doing anything quiet in nature I get anxious.

 

[BloomInWinter]

OMG.

JUST figured this one out!

Diet Coke!

The teacher....that used to be the drink on her desk every day after her gastric bypass surgery.

HOW had I not connected that?! It's some of my avoidance in my kitchen now!

Ugh... *headache and bile*

 

[Rob_Dog19]

I'm beginning to think life is a trigger :p

 

[The Albatross]

In the oldest part of our church is a long back hall. When I go in there after hours (sometimes with my spouse or to get or bring something to the arts and crafts supply room) I get a dread feeling in that hall when the lights are off. Getting to the light switch I have to walk halfway in the dark first. I feel like "something bad is there". But I don't feel it anywhere else in the church. I know as a very young child I would often climb out of my crib or bed and go down the hall... but have no memory of any trauma or event... except when my ex attacked me in a hallway, but it was broad daylight then... it doesn't seem to fit.

 

[Rainrunner]

I would say the weirdest one is when I feel anxious but I don't even know why. Basically, the weirdest one is...nothing. ;)

 

[llid]

Weirdest trigger would have to be shower curtains. For the longest time I couldn't stand for them to be closed. I would always have to pull them back to make sure no one was in there.

That's a huge one for me! I freak out if there's a closed shower curtain, I have to pull it back, but I cant pull it back cause I panic harder when I go to do it.

 

[Dizzydays]

My weirdest trigger is a small puddle on a floor. It doesn't matter what it is, and the smaller in size, the worse it is for me. This trigger can mess me up for an entire day or until I can sleep it away. The next major trigger is going upstairs when I am home alone. I refuse to do it once darkness falls, but I can do it if it's daylight and my dogs are with me.

 

[broken_one]

Weirdest? Aren't they all weird?

• loud bass, like in the car 5 cars behind me
• darkness
• thunderstorms
• noise from microwave or fridge
• traffic
• warm weather
• holidays
• crowds
• therapy

 

[broken_one]

Being a passenger in a car. Though like others, cars have nothing to do with my trauma. I think it must be an "out of control" thing.

 

[broken_one]

Im still learning about PTSD and so am not totally knowledgable on what a trigger is. Do triggers just put you on edge, or do they invariably send you over the edge?

I am new too, but from what I understand it is whatever puts us on edge, triggers panic, etc.