Comment by Jillian on February 9, 2009 3:18 am

Karen,

What type of things trigger you?  In the show USOTARA I didnʼt notice anything major when her alters change. In your book you said there were triggers. Do the same triggers have the same affect now? Can you name a few triggers?

Jillian

Dear Jillian,

There are all kind of things that can trigger an emotional response for me.  However, when something does trigger me, the emotional reaction usually leaves quickly. I am not affected in the same way I once had been; I’ve learned to handle most my triggers.  Most of the time now, although I have a quick response to triggers,  the anxious feeling subsides almost as fast as it appears.

Realistically, there are some triggers that can cause me grief at times. I try my best to stay on the side of reality. I know that triggers come from my past and don’t belong in my present life.

What can be trigger for me?  To name a few: if I should witness someone being degraded or treated in an inappropriate way, that can be a trigger; when I feel threatened or the subject of disrespect, unpleasant feelings can trigger a response in me, being stressed can cause a trigger, and someone screaming loudly can trigger an affect in me.  

There is no way to predict a trigger ahead of time, so when it happens, I just try my best to deal with it.

Thank you for your questions.

Karen