What Has Been Your Weirdest Trigger?

[The Albatross]

I think that when trauma occurs when we are pre-lingual, or too young to form any understanding or conscious retention of the event at the time, it is unlikely that we'll be able to recall it in any conscious structured way later on. For that reason, I suspect that many many childhood abuse sufferers have both conscious memories that are able to be recalled, and unexplained mysterious triggers and negative associations whose origin will often remain a mystery forever.

Thanks Maddog for saying so eloquently what I was trying to convey. The triggers and negative associations ramp up my stress level and make me at times a volatile person which makes me pretty sad.

 

[lil_fighter]

Terracota and sunflower yellow paint...weird? yep but it was very real as a trigger to me at the time

I moved to a new place and started decorating each room gradually, I was waiting for the date to come along, the date when the guy who tried to rape me said I should call him up. He told me to call him when he got back from holiday and I obeyed him like a dog..despite what he had done and how he treated me, I didn't know him very well and it was the early stages. I had PTSD already but had let my guard down for this guy by even going on a date with him which was hard enough for me to do as I have got it wrong before by trusting the wrong people, so I wasn't prepared to even acknowledge what he'd tried to do..I didn't want to admit to myself that it had even happened so I pretended and acted like nothing happened. I was confused and wasn't thinking clearly...he was no doubt confused that I came back like a dog he'd just kicked but unlike me, he was thinking clearly alright.

I moved after the incident took place and was painting my room on the day I planned to call him, I applied the sunflower yellow paint to the walls - my mum said it would be good because it's a 'positive colour'. Halfway through I called him..enthusiastically. He was cold and snappy with me..I stupidly suggested when we could meet again and he said he needed to check his diary (he was an unemployed pothead) but agreed saying it would be nice but he cant say when..he then told me he didn't have my number and ordered me to text it to him (he clearly did have it as he'd sent me many messages before)...what did I do? I agreed and after the call, unbelievably I stupidly did what he said..anyway..I wont go into this now.

That month I got flashbacks of when he tried to rape me..like I'd just realised what had happened. I closed myself in my room and was going to commit suicide..the sunflower yellow and terracota walls were brighter than ever and made me want to heave. One month later I was having trouble sleeping and the colour of the walls triggered memories of my suicide attempt...of his ugly face..which triggered memories of what he'd done..

My mum painted my walls for me a calm blue colour and I didn't think it would work..but it did. Thank god for blue paint

 

[Death]

When I hear certain loud screams.

How strange! Me too...

 

[PoeticWillow]

These are a few of my odd triggers:
The sound of motorcycles,
electric trains,
the smell of cigar smoke,
Christmas lights/trees,
poltergeist the movie,
sometimes ghostbusters...

Earlier today I was in the car and we were stuck in middle of traffic under and overpass with several motorcycles. The overpass amplified the sound and made it seem like I was surrounded by them. I went into a pretty bad panic attack and had flashbacks all the way home.

 

[BloomInWinter]

Rotten food in the fridge.

*shudders*

 

[Halebale]

My weirdest: picking out tomatoes at a grocery store...

 

[Zef]

Little House on the Prairie

 

[Steelsoul]

I am still seeking treatment and learning about my triggers and trying to take note of them, so thank you to everyone for sharing, as it is helping me. So far I have found:

Anyone running behind me, say to meet a friend or get out of rain. Parking lots. someone yelling my name in public when I don't notice them. ...hearing the name Zach. Seeing my old highschool. scenes in movies of multiple people attacking one person. someone trying to shake my hand, but the weirdest one is honestly khaki shorts and addidas shoes.. the white ones with the small blue stripes on them.. wouldn't make sense to anyone that doesn't know my story I suppose.

 

[Zef]

Compliments!!! I don't want to be noticed, ever.

Spokane

My home town

Waking up one Saturday morning realizing that I had drunk friended all of my high school classmates the previous night. . .and proceeded to tell them how shitty their town was.

Sour Cream!!

 

[Pale Warrior]

My husband got a new game for his PC and I started to flip whenever he played it.

It took me a while to work out that there was a bleeping noise at certain points in the game that took me back to ITU, same tone as the heart monitor.

 

[Melody-Marie]

When someone I care about start to sing. It's wierd. Have no idea why that triggers me.

 

[alleycat]

A few of the odder ones...

When I break dishes.

When a phone, any phone, goes off. Sometimes this includes alarm clocks as well.

Touching when I don't expect it, especially from strangers.

compliments

Being watched by just about anyone for just about any thing. I hate being the center of attention with a passion.