Tools to use when activated

Triggering First Aid

When we are triggered, we need tools to manage the upset so we don’t drown in it all. Activated emotions are often very intense and uncomfortable—we need first aid before deeper therapy.

Here are some powerful ways to help you find your centre and get back into your right mind:

Breathe. Use deep, long breaths to calm your nervous system. This lets our body know we are safe, and our mind slow down. Learn abdominal breathing in a yoga class. Learn a technique such as cyclic, bellows, cleansing or Wim Hof breathing. Practice it in, so you have easy access to the technique when in a charged state.

Move. Any form of movement helps to clear the chemicals which have been released. The more activated you are, the more robust the movement required. Walking, jogging, running, swimming, dancing, shaking, stretching, yoga, qi gong, martial arts, gym…even five minutes of movement may be enough to take the edge off the old emotions.

Water. Make sure to drink a glass of water to support the body as it flushes the emotional chemicals out.

Touch. Give yourself a hug, or ask for one. Touch is reassuring, connecting us back in our body, and comforting the distressed inner child. Place your face in your hands. Put one hand on your heart, the other on your belly. Simple acts that remind us of where our body is when we have dissociated.

Nature. Notice the sky. Stand on the grass. Play with the dog. Walk on the beach. Sit under a tree. Reconnect yourself to nature and you will plug your body-mind back in to our human origins. This helps ground and align us when we are triggered.

Cold. Try rubbing an ice cube on your wrists, back of the neck. A short, cold shower. Nothing too intense (unless you are used to ice baths). Gentle exposure to cold helps stimulate the vagus nerve, bringing us back to calm.

Sing. Singing, humming, chanting. By using our vocal chords, we also stimulate the vagus nerve. It is natural to sing when nervous or scared, as a way of soothing ourselves.