Preparing for Potential Triggers
Module IV | Session Four
Overview
M4 | Session Four: Preparing for Potential Triggers
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Defining Triggers
What Are Triggers
Preparing For Triggers
Session Skill: Coping Ahead
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What Are Triggers?
Triggers are external events or circumstances that may produce very uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, panic, discouragement, despair, or negative self-talk.
Source: MentalHelp.net
Depression Triggers
If you have depression, anxiety, PTSD, or another mental health issue, your personal triggers will vary based on your unique experiences and diagnosis.
Even when you’re in remission from major depressive disorder, there’s always the stress of knowing another depressive episode may come.
People who have one depressive episode are 50% more likely to have a second.
After two episodes, the odds go up to 70% for another one, and then to 90% after three episodes.
Triggers for depression relapse include; not following your treatment plan, personal triggers, and rumination.
Source: Success TMS
Your Trigger Action Plan
If we don't recognize and respond to triggers appropriately, they may actually cause a downward spiral, causing us to feel worse and worse. This section will help you become more aware of your triggers and to develop plans to avoid or deal with triggering events, thus increasing your ability to cope and stave off the development of more severe symptoms.
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Step 1
Do everything on your daily maintenance steps
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Step 2
Call a support person and ask them to listen while you talk through the situation
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Step 3
Do a half-hour relaxation exercise
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Step 4
Write in my journal for at least half an hour
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Step 5
Take a (walk/run/nap) for 45 minutes
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Step 6
Meditate for 10 minutes
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Step 7
Work on a fun activity for 1 hour
Source: MentalHelp.net
Session Skill
When we're dealing with depression, we're in a fragile place. This means it is helpful to develop a plan of what you can do if a trigger comes up in order to comfort yourself and keep your reactions from becoming more serious symptoms.
Coping Ahead
So, what can we do to get through it and still maintain our progress? We plan ahead! The Planning Ahead (Coping Ahead) skill is simple, but it is powerful. It basically comes down to this…
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STEP 1
Describe the situation that is likely to prompt problem behavior.
Check the facts. Be specific in describing the situation.
Name the emotions and actions likely to interfere with using your skills.
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STEP 2
Decide what coping or problem-solving skills you want to use in the situation.
Be specific. Write out in detail how you will cope with the situation and with your emotions and action urges.
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STEP 3
Imagine the situation in your mind as vividly as possible.
Imagine yourself IN the situation NOW, not watching the situation.
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STEP 4
Rehearse in your mind coping effectively.
Rehearse in your mind exactly what you can do to cope effectively.
Rehearse your actions, your thoughts, what you say, and how to say it.
Rehearse coping effectively with new problems that come up.
Rehearse coping effectively with your most feared catastrophe.
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STEP 5
Practice grounding after rehearsing.
Source: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Handbook