# Anxiety Disorders > Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) >  >  For those of us with PTSD, what is your trigger, and how do you cope?

## CeCe

What is the start, and the fix to your triggers?

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## InvisibleGuy

A lot of triggers lately are physical places. My ex passed away five years ago, and I travel a lot with my job so I go into our old neighborhood sometimes and that's a huge, huge trigger. I avoid it like the plague. I'm in outside sales and I have to visit all my stores every month, and the stores in me and my ex's old neighborhood are always the last ones I hit. I just did them Wednesday, May 31st. I will put it off as long as I can lol.

Other triggers for me are dates. Something I'm working on with my therapist. But certain dates are real problems for me, the anniversary of my ex's death,  her bday, holidays. 

Certain songs are huge triggers for me. 

I try to cope by talking it out with my therapist, who I have a love / hate relationship with. There are days when I seriously cannot stand her. There are days when I have to make myself go.

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## Chantellabella

Triggers are not fun. I have many:

Loud gunshots - I get angry, not scared

Accusing me of things I didn't do - I instantly get defensive, but then I reframe it to that says more about the accuser than about me. Like why does she or he need to blame. (My ex in particular)


Hurting children - I will go crazy mama tiger on someone who tries

Hurting animals - see above tiger reference

I just realized something. .. I don't have as many triggers as I used to. Hm. Not sure why, but that's a good thing.

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## InvisibleGuy

Holidays suck in some ways. They just suck. And for reasons that anyone who hasn't lost anyone close to them, esp over the holidays, will never, ever understand. I can explain it in detail, to anyone on this forum, or to my therapist, but they will never understand what it feels like to go thru the holidays without a loved one you have memories with. I can't even put it into words.

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## InvisibleGuy

I miss my gf.

I really, really miss her.

I miss her a whole, whole lot.

I miss her smile. And the way she would throw her arms around me an hug me soooooo tight when I came home.

I miss her.

I miss her daughters.

I miss so, so many things about her.

I miss the way her hair used to tickle my face when we spooned.

I miss her laugh.

I miss her hugs.

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## InvisibleGuy

I miss dancing with her in our bedroom like a couple of fools.

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## InvisibleGuy

God I miss that woman.

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