Triggers and Thoughts

Happy New Year to all. My sincere and heartfelt prayers go out to California and all those going through what they are going through this New Year. To all who have lost a loved one, my deepest condolences.

It's fantastic that the human brain comprises about 100 billion nerve cells (neurons) interconnected by trillions of connections called synapses. On average, each connection transmits about one signal per second. Some specialized connections send up to 1,000 signals per second. “Somehow… that’s producing thought,” says Charles Jennings, director of neurotechnology at the MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research.

Given the physical complexity of what’s happening inside your head, it’s not easy to trace a thought from beginning to end. “That’s a little like asking where the forest begins. Is it with the first leaf, or the tip of the first root?” says Jennings. Simpler, then to start by considering perceptions—“thoughts” that are directly triggered by external stimuli—a feather brushes your skin, you see these words on the computer screen, you hear a phone ring. Each of these events triggers a series of signals in the brain.

When I read this I was just amazed. I was able to have a much wider comprehension of the reason why, many times, we suffer from anxiety, depression, guilt, and ungratefulness, and we shelter our body from nutrients of positivity and good energy. Today, my daughter-in-law schooled me about the Chinese horoscope, and I told her, "Can you explain this to me or send me a video"? So she sent me a story on how she teaches my grandson. The link is https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYear/ZodiacStory.aspx what I will never forget from reading this is how the Emperor never judged any of the animals. The Emperor chose to exalt the positive no matter what the animal did. I always take everything into a lesson and place it in my mind as something positive. It's what I have disciplined my brain to do throughout the years.

The amazing thing is that we are able to convert the perception of these shapes into symbols, language, and meaning is a whole other story—and a good indication of the complexity of neuroscience.

A trigger may elicit a physical reaction, such as heavy breathing or sweating. A trigger can also spur an emotional reaction, like thinking, “I am being attacked, blamed, controlled, disrespected, hurt, and judged.” After experiencing a trigger, a person may feel overwhelmed, powerless, scared, unloved, and weak, among many other feelings. These feelings can be very difficult to address and quite detrimental to mental health.

But we also have the power to understand what is going on. Consider reactions to past triggers, including who or what was involved, where, when, and why it took place. Observe patterns and apparent signs of risk to prevent a similar situation (like ceasing to watch televised news for example).

Make a plan to address: Create a plan to address triggers and emotional reactions. You may want to talk to loved ones or your treatment team to let them know how they can best help you when you are triggered. Be sure to carefully address triggers that occur repeatedly, because each time they do, the emotional reaction may be greater.

Try problem-focused coping: Confront your stressor directly or try to find a solution to the stressor. For example, driving your kids to school may cause you to worry, because you’re afraid you might arrive late to work. Instead, you can ask someone else to drive your kids to school.

Try emotion-focused coping: When you cannot eliminate or avoid a trigger, focus on regulating your reaction to a stressor which may help reduce the stressor’s impact. For example, meditation can help reduce stress, anxiety and depression.

Communicate if someone is triggering you: A person triggering another person often does so unintentionally. Talk to them about their actions and impact to clarify any misunderstandings and consider possible solutions. Have an open, calm, and understanding dialog. Be willing to work with them. If the person who is triggering you refuses to act sensitively, it may be best to set clear boundaries.

Find the right therapy: Specific types of therapy effectively address triggers, which is beneficial for addressing trauma triggers.

Our thoughts are intertwined with our triggers, and it is our responsibility to gift our bodies with CHANGE. If you are a person who does the same thing over and over, and it is a routine and you are never learning anything new, you will not try different tastes, no new books to read, no new exercises, different circles, acquiring the taste of cultural foods, you don't do anything different:

A British research study showed that boredom (which occurs when you don’t learn new things very often) can be dangerous to your health. People in the study who reported being bored over a long period of time, doing the same thing over and over with little to no change, or incorporating themselves in any different social activity had heart disease rates more than twice as high as those who did not report boredom.

Not having new experiences and learning new things will slow your brain down and make it less responsive. Adult learning is good for your health and has been shown to slow the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia and prevent the general slowing of your mental faculties.

This 2025, I had an anaphylaxis reaction, and I have been home enjoying lots of reading, watching great movies, enjoying my family, connecting with God, and taking care of my body so it had the appropriate nutrients to heal and although too many I might sound bad when I speak the thoughts of peace and tranquility and the amount of knowledge that I have had the opportunity to gain in this time is "Just absolutely amazing"

Let us remember that life and every second of our lives are a choice. If we choose just to take 5 seconds to breathe and think about our next step, I assure you we will achieve so much and live a more productive and happy life. The decision is in your hands, until the next time.

Mitzy Coreano

1/13/2025