If you’re triggered by something benign, the source is probably your childhood
Sometimes, things happen and we fall into despair. Then, aside from what’s actually making us feel this way, we may find ourselves having difficulty accepting our feelings. We’re always surrounded by so many blessings, and even during difficult times, we know everything that happens to us has been specifically picked for us by our loving Father as the best possible outcome for our development. Yet, many people still feel overwhelmed and possibly even disproportionately reactive and affected by difficult experiences.
One of the reasons these moments can hit so hard is because sometimes our reactions aren’t really rooted in the present. I’ve shared this axiom before — “If it’s hysterical, it’s historical.” This means we may experience something upsetting even more deeply than we otherwise would because it’s hitting up against the jagged, unhealed shards of our pasts.
A hysterical reaction is something that’s felt as disproportionately intense — the reaction doesn’t match the stimulus. When that happens, it might be worth investigating if something from the past is triggering us. You can start by asking yourself, “Does this situation remind me of anything from my past? When was the last time I felt all these big painful feelings coming up?”
Sometimes we don’t have an exact memory, but a thought or general experience floats up to our consciousness. (A time of year, a childhood song, the image of your grandmother’s house….) It’s often surprising what our brains and bodies experience as deeply felt. Whether or not you would naturally make that link, now you have an avenue to explore further.
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