Talk to Your Body

If you have become triggered, i.e. something has reminded you of a past traumatic event, or even if you have become anxious without a known reason, and your heart rate and breathing is rapid it is likely that your body is flooding with adrenalin, or you may have become vague or numb and feel shut down. You will be in either fight, flight, freeze or fawn mode. This is a physiological response, not within conscious control, and happens very quickly. This means that you have become afraid, not necessarily knowing what of, though somehow you fear a threat of some kind.

Take a few moments to deepen your breathing and talk slowly to your body in a loving, calming way. Out loud say,

‘Thank you, body, for warning me that there is danger around me. I have been triggered by an event or feeling from the past and that as much as I am grateful for the warning, there is actually nothing in the present time that is dangerous. I am safe. You can calm down now and resume normal operating, and you don’t need to run or fight or freeze.’

Keep up the deep breathing and gradually your body should become calmer. Read it out loud again if you need to.