PATHWAY TO JOY AND HEALING

Article by W. Brooke Chang, Pathway to Joy and Healing

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by emotional triggers? Most people are aware of experiencing emotional triggers. Some are more upsetting than others. Someone may say something that reminds you of a past negative experience. A thought or experience may remind you of a past trauma. You may be triggered into panic by high places, water, or confined spaces. Emotional triggers are the result of an external stimuli setting off your existing emotional injuries, and then activating a series of physical and emotional stresses within you, including fear and anxiety.

So, what happens when you are triggered by perceived or real fear? You begin to operate in your amygdala, the emotional center of your brain that stores memories of emotional events beginning the fight, flight, or freeze reaction. When the brain receives this information, the sympathetic nervous system is activated. Your physical body has an autonomic nervous system which is a control system within your body that acts largely unconsciously and regulates your bodily functions. This system is the primary mechanism that controls the fight-or-flight response. As a general rule, the sympathetic nervous system is considered the “fight or flight” system, while the parasympathetic system is considered the “rest and digest” system. These systems act as opposite actions where one system activates a physiological response and the other inhibits it. 

When you are emotionally triggered, your amygdala sends brain signals to the automatic nervous system activating the sympathetic nervous system.  Once your sympathetic nervous system is activated, you may experience increased heart rate, dilated pupils, sweating, and shallow breathing. However, when you are at rest or calm, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated. Your heart rate slows, pupils are normal, and breathing is deep. The brain operates within the prefrontal cortex responsible for executive functions, such as planning, decision making, working memory, moderating social behavior, and controlling certain aspects of speech. Executive functions relate to your ability to differentiate among conflicting thoughts, future consequences of your current actions, predictions of outcome, expectations based on your actions, and social controls of your behavior.

Therefore, it is best to activate the parasympathetic nervous system when you are emotionally triggered.  So how do you activate the parasympathetic nervous system?  There are several techniques to help you with this. Here are 10 that I recommend:

1. Breathwork: even reminding yourself to breathe deeply, when you are triggered, will help your body automatically activate the parasympathetic nervous system. 
2. Counting to 10 before reacting or changing your current environment will calm down your mind and body.
3. Meditation: regular meditation will help you better control your thoughts and emotions, particularly if your thoughts and emotions are triggering you.     
4. Affirmation: affirmation is a type of self-talk that you write down in your journal so that when you are triggered, you already have these affirmations ready for use.  (e.g., I am safe, I am worthy of love, I am strong, I can do this, etc.)
5. Journaling: writing down your fears and anxieties will dissipate them, and give them less power over you.
6. Listening to calming music: calming and peaceful music can help you calm down the autonomic nervous system.
7. Painting or drawing: adult coloring books have become a popular adult activity to help cope with emotional stress.  You don’t need to be an artist to do this.
8. Doing a creative activity: scrap booking, knitting, ceramics, crocheting, making collages, etc. can help with calming your mind and body.
9. Going outside and grounding by putting your feet on the earth without shoes to release excessive energy associated with emotional stress.
10. Taking a relaxing bath or shower with sea salt to calm, cleanse, and revitalize your energy field.

Hopefully, these recommendations will get you started on your way to coping with emotional triggers you may be experiencing. As you heal your emotional wounds, the need for these coping skills will become reduced, since you will be triggered less and less. May you find healing on your journey. ~ Brooke

Please note his article does not serve as medical advice or guidance. Please consult your medical doctor or mental health professional for advice and guidance on any conditions you may have. (Copyright 2023 W. Brooke Chang with all rights reserved. The contents may be reblogged in its entirety or hyperlinked to this article with credit to the author, but may not be duplicated, copied, or excerpted.)