Triggers are sights, sounds, actions, people, situations, songs that trigger an emotional response. They may produce uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, panic, discouragement, despair, or negative self-talk.
Fireworks can trigger PTSD. A lighter can trigger craving for those who are or were addicted. Chronic illness can trigger anxiety and so on.
Grief triggers are reminders of the one I lost.
In my case, that’s a tow-headed, white blonde three-year-old boy at the beach or a curly headed, tall skinny teenager playing lousy basketball. I see it and I stop, stare, and watch the movie in my head.
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