Trigger Points and How to Stop Them

Trigger Points

A trigger point is a spot that is sensitive to pressure, usually in relation to muscles. Causes can be long-term injury, lack of exercise, poor posture, vitamin deficiencies, sleep disturbances, and activities that cause repetitive stress. Emotional trigger points work the same way. There are areas that trigger us emotionally because of past emotional injuries, wrong responses to emotional trauma, and physical deficiencies.

Emotional trigger points

Many of us have emotional trigger points. Experiences from our past cause us to respond in ways that others might never respond. Emotional and physical abuse puts people into a tailspin. Flashbacks trigger us by sounds, smells, people, conversations, or places.

Just as following advice to decrease trigger points in our muscles helps us physically, we can follow a plan for responding to emotional trigger points. We can find ways to deal with trigger points so we are not paralyzed emotionally. There are also ways to prevent trigger points from affecting us.

Physical ways to overcome trigger points

Exercise. When we are afraid, depressed, or worried, the worst thing we can do is hunker down inside and wallow in our pain or grief. Recognize that you must get outside, out of the darkness and out of hiding.

We must get physical exercise as well as mental exercise. We do this by physical activity and by making our minds work. Whether you choose to read, research, play games, or focus on work, setting your mind toward something besides your fear and your pain will help get you out of that slump.

Stretch. Sore muscles can be helped by stretching. Not using a muscle that is sore only prolongs the healing. Using the soreness, “working it out” alleviates the soreness. It’s the same with emotional soreness. When we cower and hide, we are not flexing emotional muscles. Do something that stretches you emotionally. You’ll be surprised at how invigorating that can be, and how good you’ll feel when you have accomplished something you thought you could not do.

Improve physical posture. Make a conscious effort to put your shoulders back and your head high. Look people in the eye and don’t back away emotionally. Avoid the temptation to act like you feel (a lowly person who doesn’t deserve to be recognized). It ain’t so. Improving physical posture helps our muscles; in the same way, it  helps our minds. It has to be a conscious decision, and flexing those “muscles” improves muscle mass. It’s the same with our emotions. Flexing our emotional muscles makes us stronger.

Improving health to overcome trigger points

Eat right.  We feel less sluggish when we eat healthy. If we are honest, we know what that means. The problem is that most folks use food as a comfort or a crutch when depressed. And most “comfort foods” are plentiful in carbs or sugar, which only adds to sluggishness. Focus on the food you put into your mouth instead of the emotional weakness you feel. Becoming healthier physically promotes emotional health. What we eat affects our mood.

Sleep. Get enough – or more sleep. A rested body assures the ability to handle things better. When we are not exhausted from staying awake all night, we are healthier emotionally and our emotions are more balanced. Sometimes it’s hard to relax enough to sleep when we hurt emotionally. Recognize this fact, then find ways that work for you. A warm, soothing bath, a massage, talking to a friend, reading, a cup of tea or warm milk, or sometimes medication can help.

The best point for healing

Rest. Sometimes the body and the muscles need rest. Long-distance runners do not run every day. They must take time off to allow their bodies to be restored. Post-op patients have exercises to do, but they do not do them continually. There must be rest in-between. Sometimes we need to rest our emotions. When there is turmoil and heightened abuse, we must allow ourselves to find rest. That might mean staying away from certain situations, conversations, or people.

Many times we are triggered by abuse from our past. This can be physical abuse or emotional abuse. Much emotional abuse stems from lies. We’re told that we are insignificant, ugly, dumb, or stupid. We’re charged with guilt that is not ours. Lies are said about us to others.

Go back to the beginning of the abuse and tell yourself the Truth. Do not believe the lies. Do  not even listen to the lies anymore. Measure the lies with Scripture and believe the Truth in God’s Word.  Keep going back to Truth.

Satan is the author of trigger points. He wants to keep us downtrodden. Satan does not want us to win.

Avoid the person(s) who are the abusers in your life. Do not let them continue to influence you. Instead, keep seeking Truth in God’s Word.

Then rest in Truth. Find rest in Jesus, who can restore your wounds. We are healed by the wounds of Jesus.

Photo credits: pixabay.com; photo with dart, by Max Tux @pixabay.com